


The Keyblade Wielder Switch

by RoyalMoonBunny



Series: Christmas Tri(nity) [4]
Category: Kingdom Hearts (Video Games)
Genre: Angst with a Happy Ending, Christmas Fluff, Dom/sub Undertones, Fluff and Smut, Holidays, Long-Distance Relationship, M/M, Mutual Pining, Not Beta Read, Ooo, Sora throws the biggest tantrum ever and Riku slams it down, This Is Why We Can't Have Nice Things, at the end, body switching, it's tasteful dont worry, sora says the f word, ven is lactose intolerant, yeah you heard me
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2021-01-01
Updated: 2021-01-01
Packaged: 2021-03-10 16:53:33
Rating: Mature
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 27,714
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/28470438
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/RoyalMoonBunny/pseuds/RoyalMoonBunny
Summary: Sora and Riku transcended space and time to be together. How was it that their stupid day jobs found a way to tear them apart?A year into being "Interplanetary Ambassador of Foreign Affairs," Sora realizes he and Riku have come to a standstill in their long-distance relationship. Their anniversary is looming and Sora has to be in two places at once, the Yule Ball for work and The Land of Departure for Riku.Enter Roxas.-“You’re going to...switch places?” Kairi asked carefully, eyes squinted at Sora and Roxas. Sora’s clipboard was still clutched tightly to her chest, pen limp between her fingers.“Yes,” Sora said. “So that I can be with Riku today and tomorrow.”Kairi blinked slowly. “And how are you going to pull this off?”“Magic,” Roxas deadpanned. Sora pointed at Roxas excitedly to support the answer.Kairi brought a hand to her forehead and closed her eyes. “Lord help us all.”
Relationships: Lea/Roxas (Kingdom Hearts), Riku/Sora (Kingdom Hearts)
Series: Christmas Tri(nity) [4]
Series URL: https://archiveofourown.org/series/1583710
Comments: 18
Kudos: 47





	The Keyblade Wielder Switch

**Author's Note:**

> Guess who spent all of NYE editing a soriku xmas fic they didn't finish on time?  
> This is part of a series, but can be read standalone with minimal confusion.  
> There is some violence, nothing major, and a light smut scene (with dom/sub tones) toward the end of the work. In case you want to skip that, this symbol marks when it begins and ends: 
> 
> /// 
> 
> For the purposes of this fic, Yule and Xmas are kinda the same thing even though they absolutely aren't IRL. God and Gaia are used as swears interchangeably. I had to get this out before 2020 ended, so here you go! It's unbetaed, so tread carefully. Happy reading and happy 2021! 
> 
> Music companion available on my soundcloud (link in profile) and on Spotify:  
> https://open.spotify.com/playlist/2uZ1i0w7LDGu7i3KpwD0dK?si=6XqkMSciT82lWXlgmCca1g

  
  
  
  
  
  
  


It started as a joke. 

Sora’s mind whirled with decoration ideas in the new, half-renovated HQ for Interplanetary Relations. It was stand-in title until he could convince Master Yen Sid that it was the most boring, cold, and sucky name for a place that was supposed to be welcoming. Radiant Garden got an unanticipated influx of travelers, seasonal workers, and visiting dignitaries when news of Sora’s new position became public knowledge. The castle needed drastic renovations, staff to wait on visiting royals and liaisons, and Sora needed his own handful of assistants to keep up the amount of work that’d landed on his proverbial desk the second he shook Master Yen Sid’s hand.

It’d almost been a full-fledged year since Sora accepted the job at King Mickey’s Yule Ball, and while Sora understood the value of moving it from Disney Castle to Interuniversal Relations Castle (IRC, yeah, Sora wanted to change that too), he was ill-prepared for the amount of work that went into event planning for a whole universe of important people. It was a small blessing that the princesses had time and willingness to help him. 

“Sora!” A voice called from above. Sora blinked away from his clipboard, peering up at the high, lofted ceiling in confusion. 

“Punz? Is that you?” Sora asked, seeing moving, golden fabric that didn’t look like tinsel. 

“Yep!” the princess chimed, swinging around a large wooden beam with grace. Her hair was as long and crazy as ever. “Can you tell me if this looks good?” 

Blinking lights for two seconds, and then at full strength. “Whoa!” Sora exclaimed, jaw dropping at the false icicles that spanned the entire length of the room. He’d been worrying about this area, the entryway. It needed to be stunning enough to dazzle royalty, for god's sake, but not so much that the intricacy of the main ballroom was detracted. “It looks so good!” he complimented, taking in the varying lengths of the lights. “Maybe now some pine branches to cover the gaps?” 

“Aye, aye!” Rapunzel said, saluting playfully before swinging back over the beam and out of sight. Bless that girl, her weird hair, and her artistic talents.

Sora swiftly climbed the stairs onto the second landing, a large lofted area that would hold the optional dining portion of the ball. He squinted, walking past the lines of rectangular tables and losing count when workers began spreading red and gold runners across them. “Hey, how many do we have set up?” he asked the room, hoping someone knew. 

“43 bossman!” a familiar voice said, cheery and playful. Sora leaned back to look around a few workers. 

“Yuffie! I thought you were on entryway duty,” Sora said, flipping some papers back on the clipboard to look at her name and respective responsibility. He’d  _ told them _ not to switch roles. 

“I was,” Yuffie said, straightening the fabric on the table. “But Cloud came back early and he was way better at helping unload than me.” 

“Alright,” Sora said, sighing as he crossed off Yuffie’s name and put Cloud’s. “There should be 45 tables out here. Where’s the missing two?” 

“I think some people in the ornament craft area took them,” a boy said, wheeling up a cart of their centerpieces. “Said something about an efficient workspace.”

“Thanks, Vaan,” Sora said, watching him place an earthy pinecone and poinsettia structure onto the nearest table. He was lucky to have found diligent workers, like Vaan, willing to fly to Radiant Garden for a job. It meant he could focus on the details. “Shouldn’t there be a-”

“Sparkle?” a peppy voice interrupted, the owner’s hands full with a box with shiny, golden decorations. It took up the width and length of her torso, obscuring her face. Sora wasn’t 100% sure who she was until he spotted red pigtails from either side of the huge box, green ribbons bouncing on them as she walked.

“Thank heaven for you, Vanille,” Sora breathed dramatically, looking up to the sky as she placed the box on the burgundy carpet with tiny fleur-de-lis in gold and silver. Kairi had helped him decide on that one. “This ball would be a disaster without your eye for this.” It was the fourth time this morning Vanille remembered something he’d forgotten. The mints for the bathroom, stocking the hand towels to give wet and hot to guests as they arrived, changing the rug in the welcome lobby… All things so specific that Sora hadn’t bothered to write it down on his schedule.

“Probably,” Vanille commented good naturedly, distributing the add-ons to the rest of the staff. “How’s everything going?”

“Good,” Sora said, flipping through more of his papers. Over half of the castle still had to be checked, but he also had a meeting in 30 minutes with King Mickey. “I think.” Kairi had warned him last night that the time between these two duties would be nonexistent. It had seemed far more possible to do everything when he was organizing his agenda yesterday. So long as nothing unexpected happened, he’d be able to get everything done with a very low-grade headache.

“Sora!” a voice called from across the room. Sora looked up immediately, spotting Aerith motioning for him to come over frantically. That can’t be good. He gave an apologetic glance to Vanille, who waved him off, and sped over to the flower girl. 

“What is it? The flowers? The supplies? Did they not get here in time? Did the catering company not come through?” Sora asked as soon as she could hear him. 

Aerith shook her head vigorously each time, taking his hand at the last question and leading him out onto the balcony nearby. Sora stared out into the cool, grey midday skyline and frowned. “I don’t get it. Man, it’s cold out here.”

“Cold enough for snow?” Aerith asked pointedly, gesturing at the clouds. 

Sora brightened. “Snow! That’s great! Snow at a winter ball is awesome!” It’d be so warm and cozy inside, people could come outside to watch it fall. Maybe he should set some twinkling lights up on the balconies, just in case. Snow was slippery and he didn’t want people tripping blindly. He should probably arrange for more rugs to be available at the entryways to avoid wet floors. And make sure everyone could get driven from the docking station to the castle, so they wouldn’t have to wade in fancy clothes across Radiant Garden in such a chill. And…

“Wait,” Sora said, mind running a mile a minute. “Aer, the docking station isn’t prepped to handle snow conditions.”

She pursed her lips and made an affirmative humming sound. “No it is not.”

Sora looked back out into the bright grey sky, now very intensely disliking the idea of snow. “...get me Leon, please,” he said, sighing and walking back into the castle. “I have to check on some tables in the west lobby. Send him there and make sure it’s in like ten minutes tops?”

“Sir, yes sir!” Aerith said happily, saluting him. 

The restoration committee had unofficially disbanded in order to help Sora figure out his entire life and construct the new headquarters. Yuffie and Aerith were surprisingly organized and detail-oriented, while Leon was his chief problem-solver. He didn’t go to Leon unless he was utterly stupefied, which happened a lot in the first four months of being an “Interplanetary Ambassador of Foreign Affairs.” Now, Sora could say that he had a good handle on what the other worlds wanted so far, the basics at least. A comm center, 24/7, for disputes and questions and requests. The latter messages were forwarded to The Land of Departure, where the Keyblade Masters would send out one or more of their own as quick as lightning. It helped to have people on standby, especially for rouge monsters.

Sora hoped he could be the one to give those messages, when they first started the call center. The chances of being able to hear Riku’s voice and see his face were high in those cases, as he left to attend to missions the most frequently. But Sora had run into five hundred different things that required his unique attention and had to pass the responsibility down. 

God, he missed Riku. 

Sora sighed slowly, climbing the stairway lined with holly and small, glittering silver and gold ornaments. If only Riku could come to this gathering. It would make all the hard work more worth it, and maybe smooth over the strain of their long-distance relationship. Their last argument was fresh in his mind, despite it having happened months ago. Being who he was and Riku being a Keyblade Master made finding the time to text or video call insanely difficult. Add in the time difference and well…

At least the fury he’d felt was dulled now to a sorrow. He wondered if Riku felt the same. Wondered if Riku missed him as much as he did Riku. Heartache was not an unfamiliar feeling, but unwanted nonetheless. He needed to get his head in the game.

“Sora! Just the man I needed to see.”

Sora stepped up onto the shiny, recently polished white granite floor. The room’s windows were still being curtained with the special, royal blue fabric they’d ordered and barely received in time. A large, towering tree took up the center of the room, decorated heavily with delicate golden lights and ornaments of all colors and shapes. “It looks good. Nice job Kairi!” 

“Thanks!” the girl chimed, turning from her high place on the ladder. “I had to take a few of your tables, by the way. An ornament-making station is a little hard to do without surface area.” She placed one more sparkling red ornament on a branch before making her way down the ladder, carefully pushing down her glittering gold and cream skirt to avoid a fall. “Is everything okay?” she asked when she reached the bottom, taking Sora’s hand for balance off the last step. “I heard there might be snow. I know we didn’t plan on that.”

“We didn’t,” Sora affirmed, smiling nervously. “I’m going to have to go out to the docking station with Leon and see if we can get it done really fast. Maybe I should call Cid, too.”

“Anything you need from me?” Kairi asked carefully, arms behind her back. “You’ve been doing a lot lately, Sora. You could use a break…”

“A break?” Sora repeated incredulously, making sure to smile playfully. “I don’t know the meaning of the word.”

“At least leave me with some of the check ins,” Kairi insisted, eyebrows furrowed. “That way when you come back I can give you a report on what absolutely needs attention.”

Sora sighed, looking up at the chandeliers getting dusted. “I guess it couldn’t hurt. You have your phone in case anything happens? Wait, I have a meeting with Mickey soon, but obviously this is an emergency. Can you go in my place?” 

“Of course!” Kairi said brightly, withdrawing her device from the pocket of her loose cardigan. “I’ll text you ASAP if anything happens, and I’m sure Mickey will understand. Here comes Leon now, by the way,” Kairi said, jutting her chin up to alert Sora.

Sora turned, seeing the man uncharacteristically donning black jeans and a very understated red and silver knit sweater. Were those mini chocobos with Santa hats on them? “Hey Leon! Happy Yule! Your sweater is awesome! Give me one second, I gotta check these papers before I leave them with Kairi.”

Leon nodded, walking to them and craning his neck to evaluate the tree. “It’s lookin good.”

“I think so,” Kairi agreed, triumphantly tucking some of her hair behind her ear. “The whole castle is coming alive. Hard to believe tonight is the Yule Ball already.” She cast a glance over at Sora, whose eyes were rapidly flying left to right on each paper as he flipped through it. “Been a whole year since Sora took up this spot.”

“Sora what?” Sora asked absentmindedly, head inclined toward Kairi but eyes resisting to follow suit. It was the last page. He grunted lightly and closed the clipboard folder, a gift from King Mickey made evident by the mouse insignia in black on the back cover, surrounded by royal blue. Sora took it everywhere. “Here’s all the notes. Don’t lose it. Don’t take the papers out. They’re in order-”

“Oh my god,” Kairi moaned, rolling her eyes and snatching the folder. “Just go already. I won't destroy your precious event.” 

Sora smiled at the attitude and clasped a hand on her shoulder. “Thanks Kairi. It means a lot to me that you took the time out to help.”

Kairi’s expression softened briefly, switching back and forth from him and Leon. “Glad to help. It’s a big operation you guys run together here. Even Queen Minnie understood when I asked for some time off, and she doesn’t normally. Just promise me you’ll get some rest after all this, yeah?” 

“Of course. Just don’t set the place on fire!” Sora said brightly, turning halfway to Leon and motioning that they head out. Leon smiled briefly and walked with him to the exit. 

“Who do you think I am? Lea?!” Kairi yelled from across the room in jest. 

Sora really, really, hoped nothing would go wrong while he was out. He descended the stairs at a half jog, trying to keep up with Leon’s pace, and considered what they’d need to do in order to prepare the docking stations. “Do you think we can do this ourselves, or do I need to call more people?”

Leon eyed him consideringly. “I enlisted some help. Cid’s there already, updating the system. Also ran into Roxas and sent him there to assist.” He pushed open one of the side doors of the castle, narrowly dodging a worker with arms full of tablecloths. 

“Roxas?” Sora asked, confused. “I thought he was supposed to be in the Land of Departure?” He hurried through the exit, blinking rapidly from the cold air that dried out his eyes. Wearing very simple, light clothing today had been a mistake. During events like this, he’d learned it was best to dress lightly and wear sneakers. Prep always involved running around all over the place, but now the casual slacks and blue pullover were ill fit for the inclement weather. 

“Beats me,” Leon said, apparently unbothered by the temperature as he walked down the street and around the outskirts of main square. Last Sora saw, the square was bustling with vendors and kids playing with the town’s decorations. He’d spotted a mini carousel and ferris wheel this morning. Work as an ambassador stationed here had created a tourism boom, resulting in a lot more people emigrating, opening businesses, and establishing street festivals that coincided with his events. 

“How’s everything else going? Security wise?” Sora asked, shoving his hands in his pockets to keep them warm. They were very close now. He just needed to avoid completely freezing until they got to the docking center. 

“Good. Everything seems ordinary,” Leon said, waving slightly to a woman that passed them by. “You look busy as ever. And tired.” 

Sora chuckled wearily, drawing out his hands to cross his arms instead. The shivering didn’t stop, and now that Leon mentioned it, he was very, very tired. “Yeah, well. It’s my job, right?”

Leon said nothing to that as they walked up the steep incline to the station and crossed a road the wound down the hill. They’d have guests take the nice way, of course. Leon grasped the latch of the side door and opened it with a long creak. “They should be at control,” Leon guessed as Sora joined him inside, closing the door and locking the frigid air out. 

Sora shook off his last chills and looked to the lofted section of the room. Lights steadily blinked blue and green. He could hear voices, too. Sora followed Leon up the stairs and turned the corner, revealing Cid, whose body was half under the large, multi-screened computer, and Roxas, kneeled down with a wrench in his hand. 

“Roxas!” Sora cheered, running forward to greet his other. 

Roxas blinked, rising to his feet swiftly and accepting a hug with an oomph. “Hey! I came to surprise you before taking off to LoD. Sucks we can’t spend Yule together, like last year.” 

“I’m happy I at least get to see you, even if it’s for a little bit!” Sora said, spirits briefly raised.

“Wrench!” Cid yelled from under the machine. 

Roxas kneeled again and placed the tool in Cid’s hand, accepting some spare computer parts in return. “We ran into a problem,” Roxas explained to Sora and Leon. “Apparently something broke.”

“Great,” Leon muttered, massaging the bridge of his nose. “ETA?”

“ETA is when it’s fucking fixed, Squall!” Cid said, cursing after when he dropped the wrench with a clang. 

“Wow that’s a nightmare,” Sora said brightly, a smile forced across his face. If they couldn’t get this up and running in time, the whole event would suffer for it. 

Roxas snorted. “Yeah, well, Cid said we can go run the routine test together in the meantime.”

“You know how to do that?” Sora asked suspiciously. He’d only just learned how to check on the machinery and controls last spring. “Did Leon teach you?”

“Nope,” he responded proudly, hands on his hips. “Investigated Twilight Town’s and taught myself.”

“And when you say investigated….”

“Hayner dared me.”

“Ah.”

“Children,” Leon said from behind them. “You can talk while you work. Get going to the platform and call me if anything looks remotely out of place. Got it?”

“Got it!” Roxas and Sora chimed in unison, racing each other to the stairs and then down them. “Don’t cheat!” Roxas screeched as Sora tried to push him back. 

Leon sighed as they went, but he couldn’t help the tiny smile that crossed his face. It’d been a while since he’d seen Sora back to his normal pep. “Don’t run!” he bellowed to the boys below, an afterthought. “There’s dangerous stuff around!” 

“Kay!” Sora yelled back, pushing Roxas into a heap of netting and vaulting over the metal barrier to the platform. Roxas’s squawk had been well worth the risk of injury. “I win!” 

Roxas came over the barrier more slowly, glaring at him. “That was low.”

“You didn’t say no nets.”

“I said no cheating.”

“But not  _ no nets _ .”

Roxas came closer, ready to continue their bickering, before a strange look crossed his face. He came another step closer and furrowed his brows in concern. “Sora, are you okay?”

Sora’s demeanor dropped. “Oh, yeah. Why, what’s up?”

Roxas bit his bottom lip and tilted his head uncertainly. “You seem...tired.”

“Oh, aha,” Sora chuckled awkwardly, rubbing the back of his neck. “It’s been a crazy couple of days.”

“Yeah?” Roxas asked, opening the switchboard and checking the gauges. “Cause of the Yule Ball?”

Sora hummed in affirmation, watching forked metal bars ascend from the center of the platform when Roxas pressed a button. “Haven’t had time for much else.”

Roxas pressed another button, halting the ascent. “What about Riku? You guys good?” 

Sora busied himself with the output display, making note that the numbers were high enough to pass the check. Snow meant the temperature would be lower than they’d anticipated, and the antifreeze levels needed to be above average to compensate. It looked like it was hovering just past the mid level. Definitely needed to refuel. 

“Does that mean you guys aren’t good?” Roxas asked far too casually when the silence drew out. The metal collapsed safely back into the flooring. 

Sora grimaced, having no way to hide from the conversation. “I don’t really know.” 

“What happened?” Roxas asked, and Sora was infinitely grateful that his other had learned to calmly ask for more information before condemning his boyfriend to death - which is what happened for the first couple of months whenever Sora was remotely unhappy. 

“I didn’t want to say anything cause it didn’t seem like too big a deal,” Sora prefaced, watching Roxas sit atop one of the waist-high metal barriers. He made his way over, sitting beside him with ease. “A few months ago, Riku said he needed to close off our link.”

“What? Why?” Roxas demanded, shocked. “You guys worked so hard to put it back together.”

Sora smiled wryly. “Well, I started this job and he started mentoring and teaching in The Land of Departure. Apparently, he was reprimanded for his attention wavering one too many times.” 

“Sounds dumb,” Roxas said. “Unless you were having a hard time too?” he ventured softly, nudging Sora with an arm. “I remember we had a few calls where you seemed upset.”

Sora sighed, posture crumpling inward. “Yeah. Sometimes I’d be reading a really dense, important document and Riku would reach out. Or I’ll be talking to someone really important about something really important and he’d just tug at the link and - usually that’s a great thing - but it was actually distracting. Stressful. And we both felt each other get frustrated by it, too.” 

“So you both agreed to close it down? For now?” Roxas clarified.

“I didn’t want to do it,” Sora said, glaring down at his feet. “I told him I could live with a little stress from being contacted at the wrong time. He said, as a teacher, he couldn’t afford to mess up.” 

Roxas sighed, leaning back on his hands and looking up at the domed ceiling. “So now, things are different?”

“We haven’t really been the same since,” Sora confessed, looking at the palms of his hands in thought. “We’re both suffering from the link being held down. We rarely talk on the phone anymore. Everything’s text, and even then it’s just good morning, good night, how was your day, what are you doing…” Sora chuckled sadly. “It’s like we don’t love each other anymore.”

Roxas grabbed his arm with alarming speed, and Sora swung his gaze to his other’s blazing eyes. “That’s impossible,” Roxas said firmly. “I know you two. I know your story. I’ve seen you together and I’ve been inside your heart. You love each other, but long distance is hard, you know?”

“I guess,” Sora conceded. “But we’ve only been together for a year. A year ago tomorrow.”

Roxas opened and closed his mouth. “Wait, your anniversary is tomorrow?” 

“Yeah.”

“But he’s not coming to the Yule Ball tonight or tomorrow, right? He has to do the gala on Land of Departure both days. I can’t believe King Mickey is having me go to that instead of you.”

“I know,” Sora said sadly. “Riku and I didn’t even argue about it. Just agreed that we’d celebrate sometime after. Maybe if I were just a keyblade wielder, we’d have been placed in the same world. But I chose a different path.” Maybe that had been a mistake. He’d wanted purpose but not at the cost of Riku.

“That’s bullshit!” Roxas said, fist hitting the metal beside him. “You should be together for at least today and tomorrow!” 

“I’d give anything for that,” Sora said, looking at his other with tired eyes. “The break would be welcome, but I have to put in appearances with all the guests for the next two days. It’s a big responsibility and a big deal.” 

Roxas fell onto his elbows, leaning back fully in worry. “Damn. That sucks.”

“Tell me about it,” Sora commented, eyes locking on a rainbow oil stain a few yards away. 

They sat in companionable silence for a while. It reminded Sora of what it felt like to have Roxas inside him, a stable, understanding presence that he could rely on. 

Roxas chuckled out of nowhere, swaying his attention.

“What?” Sora asked, looking for a reason to laugh.

“Nothing,” Roxas answered, still chuckling. “I was just thinking about how Ventus and Vanitas managed complicated illusion magic for that prank they did on Terra last year. Remember?   
  


“April fools!” Sora said laughing. “Yeah, it was funny until Terra tried to kill Vanitas.”

“Yeah, maybe implying the possession of Terra’s best friend wasn’t the way to go,” Roxas joked. “How crazy would it be if we did that? You could pretend to be me and go see Riku, and I could put in appearances for you. We could deactivate it whenever we wanted, if things got too out of hand.” Roxas laughed. “What a time that would be.”

It was supposed to be a joke.

But Sora started thinking about it. Being able to see Riku, tonight and tomorrow, their anniversary. Seeing him compete in the marks of strength and power that Land of Departures Gala was known for. Surprising Riku with a gesture he should have done months ago. Getting away from Radiant Garden for reasons that weren’t business related. Escaping everything. Riku. Riku. Riku.

Maybe this could be how he fixed things. 

“Let’s do it,” Sora said certainly. He stood and started thinking, rapid-fire, of any and all things that needed to be taken care of. Loose ends. Responsibilities. 

“Do what?” Roxas asked, blinking up at Sora in confusion. “The test is done.” 

“No,” Sora said, extending a hand down to Roxas, who took it and hoisted himself up to stand face to face. “Let’s switch places.”

Roxas’s eyes widened comically. His mouth opened in protest. 

“Just for two days!” Sora said quickly, cutting off Roxas’s first syllable. “Two days and then we’re done!” 

“Sora,” Roxas said, incredulous. “I was joking.”

“I know,” Sora replied miserably. “But the thing is it might be exactly what I need. Please, Roxas. Just this one time.” 

Roxas stared at him, bemused and shocked at the request. A range of emotions and thoughts seemed to fly through the blond’s head before he heaved a great big sigh. “Okay, okay. This one time. But!” Roxas said, interrupting Sora’s attempts to say thank you. “You have to tell me everything I need to do and call me frequently to check in. My job in LoD isn’t hard. I have to do one demonstration of Holy, which I taught you. Everything else is free time.”

“Oh my god Roxas, yes, okay, I’ll prepare everything,” Sora babbled, heart climbing in his chest as the reality of  _ seeing Riku in person for the first time in over four months _ sunk in. “Whatever you want!”

Roxas frowned suddenly. “Wait, there might be one person I won’t be able to fool.”

  
  
  


❅ *  ‧͙⁺˚*･༓  {.⋅ ✯ ⋅.} ༓･*˚⁺‧͙ *  ❅ 

  
  


“You’re going to...switch places?” Kairi asked carefully, eyes squinted at Sora and Roxas. Sora’s clipboard was still clutched tightly to her chest, pen limp between her fingers.

Sora and Roxas had managed to finish up their work at the docking station fairly quickly, much to Sora’s relief. The snow prep went far faster with the extra help, which allowed them to track down Kairi mid-kitchen sweep and shove her into an empty room for a meeting. She was having difficulty understanding what they wanted.

“Yes,” Sora said. “So that I can be with Riku today and tomorrow.”

Kairi blinked slowly. “And how are you going to pull this off?”

“Magic,” Roxas deadpanned. Sora pointed at Roxas excitedly to support the answer. 

Kairi brought a hand to her forehead and closed her eyes. “Lord help us all.” She snapped out of it then, tucking the clipboard under her arm and clapping her hands together. “Ok! It’s unconventional but you and Riku really do need some time together. I’ll help.”

“Yes!” Sora celebrated, moving forward to wrap Kairi in a hug. “Thank you Kai. I’ll love you forever and I’ll do whatever you want-”

“Ok, Ok,” Kairi laughed, pushing him off. “Don’t thank me yet. We have to figure out how this spell works first, then we need to get you both redressed. Sora, you’re so lucky I’ve been here and can tell Roxas what he needs to do.”

“Yes I am,” Sora agreed, nodding his head rapidly. “I really, really am.”

“We doing this now?” Roxas asked, summoning Oblivion with a flash of light. 

“Best to,” Kairi confirmed, looking at the closed door carefully. “The sooner we make this switch the more time you guys will have to get used to it.” 

Sora summoned Ever After and paused, nodding to Roxas. “So you said it’s like summon and D-link, but stop at the edge and use reflect?”

“Yeah,” Roxas said, MP gathering in blue light to the keyblade. “According to Ven, anyway.”

“Ready?” Sora asked, feeling the spell weave it’s way around his body. Roxas nodded and they unleashed it at the same time, bathing the room in brilliant silver blue. Sora closed his eyes on reflex, feeling a strange tingling on his skin and lips. He shook his head as a wave of dizziness overtook his senses. When he pried his eyes open, the room was back to normal and Kairi was staring at him with her mouth wide open.

“It worked!” she yelled in amazement, looking over to Roxas - well, Sora - apprehensively. “I can’t believe it.” 

“Does it look okay?” Roxas asked, but it was Sora’s voice and Sora’s face and, wow, it was very strange to see yourself talk. 

“You seem fine to me,” Sora said, frowning at the lower, more deadpan tone his voice took. “Do I look like you?” 

“Yeah, everything but the clothes.” 

“We should trade, probably.” 

Kairi turned around on reflex as they began to tug their sweaters off. The sound of fabric hitting the floor reached her ears as she thought about all the possible ways this could go wrong. “Sora,” she asked blindly. “Are you going to tell Riku it’s you right away?”

“Of course!” Sora answered, voice muffled from being mid-tug on Roxas’s white turtleneck. “There’s no way he wouldn’t know it’s me. Not trying to make more problems, thank you.”

“Roxas, is anyone you know gonna be at that gala?” Kairi asked, crossing one potential issue off her list.

“Uh,” Roxas trailed. “Just acquaintances and Aqua, Terra, Ven…” there was a pause. “Oh, shit. Lea.” 

“What?!” Sora exclaimed. “How?!”

“He begged Aqua to come!” Roxas said in defense. “Kairi, you can turn around now.”

She did, looking at both of them critically. If she didn’t know better, it looked like nothing had happened. Except…”Sora,” she said, staring at his neck. “You should take off the necklace.”

Sora looked horrified by the idea, a comical expression on Roxas’s face, and clutched the amulet protectively. “No!”

“Aqua and the others will know that it’s you!” Kairi lectured, hands on her hips. “Everyone knows you don’t go anywhere without that.” She sighed at his distraught expression. “Can you at least keep it under your shirt? It can’t be seen, Sora.”

Sora nodded apprehensively, tucking the crown neatly under his sweater. “Better?”

“Much,” Roxas confirmed. “You should get going to LoD. It takes a fair bit to get there and my orders were to arrive by 6.” 

“Okay, Kairi you’ll-” Sora began.

“Yeah yeah I have the clipboard,” Kairi said before smiling warmly. “Don’t worry, Sora. We have this for you. Just, relax, okay? You deserve this. And tell Riku he owes me big when you see him.”

Sora felt his heart well up with love for Kairi and Roxas, vision wavering dangerously. 

“Hey! No crying with my face!” Roxas demanded playfully. “People are gonna know something’s up for sure. Before you do anything, just think, What Would Roxas Do?”

Sora laughed wetly. “Yeah, okay. Can I take your ship?”

“Would be weird if you didn’t.”

“Then, I’m off!” Sora yelled gleefully, coming forward to tug Kairi into a hug and then Roxas, too. 

It was a relief to leave the room without his image. To pass disputes in the hallways and not look critically at the proceedings. He was leaving for something better tonight. He was going to see Riku. 

  
  


❅ *  ‧͙⁺˚*･༓  {.⋅ ✯ ⋅.} ༓･*˚⁺‧͙ *  ❅ 

  
  


The Land of Departure was lit up spectacularly. 

Small blinking lights streamed from the landing site to the pathway between the hills, and Sora was extremely grateful that he wasn’t the only guest running late. Hills gave way to the gleaming white and gold castle as he followed behind a group of four warriors. They bantered and joked as he took in the steadily glowing cerulean blue orbs lining the winding road. It was ethereal in a way. Otherworldly. Surprisingly different from the Yule ball. 

Sora had seen the orbs before - an attack Aqua did but colored white. Magic was much more enjoyable when it wasn’t being used to fight. Sora marveled at the small groups of people talking and laughing in the alcoves on either side of the road, now sporting white stone benches to accommodate the crowd. The Gala was far bigger than Sora had thought it’d be. Ven had mentioned that Master Eraqus threw one every year before his death, a way to pacify their allies and showcase the strength of their universe. 

Heaving a sigh, Sora glanced up at the castle looming above him, linked chains shining in the golden lights that glowed around it. He’d been so wrapped up in his own event, in his own job, he hadn’t stopped to consider what a big deal this gathering was to Ven, Aqua, and Terra. Their first time organizing after the death of their master, after the worlds had almost fallen three times, after they had all almost died. 

Thinking about it now, Sora really should have asked them if they needed anything. Or called them to show his support. How long had it been since he’d talked to Aqua and Terra? Not since he swung by to deliver a treaty signed by two of their warring worlds - Wonderland and Deep Jungle (As wonderful as space travel was, it did lead to some issues). That’d been five months ago. 

Of all things Sora worried about, his friends should really be higher. 

“Roxas!” 

A mane of red entered his field of vision, it’s owner smirking down with mischievous eyes. “Long time no see, bud.” His hand was in Sora’s hair and mussing it up before he could say anything.

“Hey!” Sora objected, pushing Lea off. “Watch the hair! Took me ages to get it right.”

“I thought you said you had it down to a science, Roxy,” Lea teased, hands on his hips. What Sora hadn’t expected was for Lea to be in semi formal dress - black slacks tucked into combat boots, a dark green long sleeve rolled up to the elbows, some chains chiming together from his belt loops.

“You look good!” Sora complimented before he could calculate a proper Roxas response. “Ugh, I mean, you look like shit.”

Lea squinted at him strangely and laughed, slamming a hand on his back. “Have you already had the punch or something? Cause it’s been spiked. Ask me who spiked it.” Lea lowered and raised his eyebrows comically. 

Sora wanted to groan. He lazily glared at Lea instead. “Not interested.” What did Roxas usually do when he and Lea bickered? Sora walked away, one hand in his pocket, through the front doors of the castle. He did not wait for Lea to catch up, hoping his understanding of his Other would prove him correct.

“What?!” Lea screeched, garnering some curious glances their way. And before Sora knew it, Lea had caught up and was walking beside him. Perfect. “C’mon Roxas we both know I’m here to entertain you at this very boring, very unnecessary event. You gotta give me something to work with.” 

“Is your face not enough?” Sora sassed, involuntarily smiling at his own terrible jab. It kind of reminded him of what he and Riku used to do, a very long time ago. 

“Are you actually proud of that? What you just said? Cause you’re smiling and I know you have a better resting bitch face than that,” Lea said breezily. “I guess you got to hang out with Sora before leaving yeah? A few hours with him and you get all,” Lea made a strange mixing motion with both his hands. “Weird.”

Huh. “Weird how?” Sora mused, walking through the entryway and trying his best not to draw attention. He needed to get to Riku’s side as soon as he could. The room was elegant in dark purples and bronze, dimly lit candelabras and chandeliers (nowhere near as grand as Radiant Gardens) reflected light onto the black marble floors. It was very mysterious. Sora appreciated the atmosphere and filed the aesthetic away for future use. Intimate, magical.

“Dunno, you get all, sentimental,” Lea said smoothly, bumping his hip into Sora’s side. Sora struggled to remember what he’d said last. “Cause he’s your bro and all. Hey, is he doing any better?”

“Better?” Sora parroted, still confused. They began walking up the stairs to the main lobby, where Sora hoped Riku would be. What were the chances that he could pull him aside before the main events started?

“Yeah,” Lea answered, voice lowering into something more serious. “You and Xi said he’s been stressed. Did your check in help?” he asked while pivoting to avoid a group of sorcerers walking by. 

Sora paused before taking the final step onto the landing, cocking his head. Apparently Roxas had had an agenda today. “Oh. Did I say that?”

“Duh,” Lea said, stretching arms overhead as Sora caught up. “I know he doesn’t call you guys as much as he used to, and even Kai has commented on it, but he’s trying to find footing in that new fancy prince thing he’s doing.”

“Ambassador.”

“Yeah, whatever. I tell ya’ Rox, we live the good life.” Lea swept an arm out to the ballroom full of people, the chatter far more respectful than it's ever been at Sora’s events. “We get the fame of being wielders without any of the work. Just gotta put in an appearance here and there, then we go home and play games and set things on fire until we knock out.”

“You think so?” Sora asked, brows furrowing at the idea. Bedtime usually meant reviewing papers for meetings the next day. Breakfast was more like a debrief with his staff, plus food. The day was almost always jam-packed with calls to the King of  _ something or other _ , the Governor of  _ this or that _ , Merlin with strange news, Mickey with a request, Monstro swallowed people again, etc. Then there were the diplomatic patrols, where he’d go visit the worlds and say hi to his friends, make sure they were doing okay, help them with the programs he set up - education, engineering, cultural sensitivity - and then Sora was lucky if he got an hour or two of floating in space before the reception kicked back in and they asked him to come back to headquarters for paperwork. 

There was so much paperwork. 

“Of course,” Lea said before bending down to whisper conspiratorially in his ear. “Nothing could take me away from you.”

Sora’s eyes widened. 

Lea slipped his hands in his pockets and shrugged lightly, as if nothing had been implicated, before sauntering off to the crowd. “Gonna find some of that punch. Go do your job, bigshot!” 

Sora’s mind was whirling. Did Lea say that kind of stuff normally? Is it something he only said to his really close friends, like Roxas and Xion and Isa? It seemed...strangely intimate. And to say it to Roxas of all people? 

He breathed in and out, filing the words away in his head for further attention later, and rose to his tippy toes. Oh, to be tall like Lea. He should’ve asked him to spot Riku before leaving. 

“Who’re you looking for?” 

Sora dropped back to his heels, turning to a very attractive man with impressive garb. He knew royal vestments when he saw them. Sora bowed slightly to the taller man, grinning nervously. “Sorry, I’m sure that wasn’t very proper of me.”

The man laughed jovially, navy blue hair jostling with the force. He had a nice smile and kind eyes, despite the garishness of his shoulder pauldrons and the velvet sheen of his cape. “No need for all that. I’m just a guest here, though I may be able to assist you. I’ve been around the room more than once.”

Sora smiled wider, trying not to be nervous about the number of metals the man had pinned to his breast. “I appreciate that. My name is So-...Sorry, my name is Roxas.” He offered his hand, hoping the royal was not jesting about casual treatment. 

The taller man grasped his hand tightly. “Mine is Chrom. Nice to meet you, Roxas. I believe I know that name. Might you be looking for Master Ventus? I almost mistook you for him.” 

“Oh, right!” Sora said, chuckling. “We’re twins. But I’m looking for someone else. Master Riku?”

Chrom’s smile widened, eyes sweeping the room. “Now, I just saw him. He’s getting ready to start the festivities.” 

“I was hoping to speak to him before-”

“Warriors of light and shadow!” Terra’s booming voice sounded through the dome, drawing attention to a set of doors that lead out to the courtyard. “Welcome to The Land of Departure!”

The crowd politely clapped. Sora followed suit, desperately looking around the fringes of the room for silver hair. 

“Thank you for coming to The Valor Gala, a gathering of wise and weathered friends. Please join us outside for the first demonstration.”

The doors opened on cue, revealing the courtyard with more light-colored spheres surrounding a fighting arena. People began walking outdoors. Sora could still not spot Riku. 

“Are you coming?” Chrom asked, cocking his head to the right. “You’ll be able to see Master Riku, at the very least. And I promise it’ll be worth watching.”

Sora side-eyed the royal, unsure why he’d know anything about Riku or his demonstration. “Uh, yeah. I’ll be there in a second. Please, go on.” Chrom gave a polite bow of the head and walked off gallantly, cape fluttering as he did. Sora hoped one day he could emulate the charisma of that guy. Sora was decked out in half of Roxas’s black and copper formal armor and a nice pair of white slacks and shirt underneath, but he felt underdressed and incompetent. At least he knew what he was doing back in Radiant Garden. Speaking of, new objective.

He had to find Aqua or Terra before they thought Roxas was a no-show. Avoiding Ven was imperative. Ven had a hard time keeping secrets, and Sora might have fooled Lea, but there was no way he could fool one of his so-called ‘heart siblings.’ The room was almost empty by the time he exited into the courtyard, a firm, shimmering fence of barrier separating the crowd from the arena. At least Sora could see the tops of everyone’s heads from the steps leading out. And there - he could make out Aqua’s face on the opposite end of the field. 

“Alright, everyone!” Terra yelled theatrically, moving into the barrier with ease. A few ecstatic yells met his call. The group was drastically different when they were on a battleground. 

Sora grimaced and skipped down the rest of the steps, shoving himself as respectfully as he could through bodies. The sooner he checked in with Aqua and did his demonstration, the sooner he could devote time to Riku. 

“We’ll begin with some spars. Who wants to challenge me?” Terra continued, and though Sora couldn’t see over the people separating him from the arena, he could hear the confidence in the older master’s tone. Several sounds of approval came, one of them from a deadly looking woman with tattoos all over her. 

“You!” Terra said. “Come forward. Know that we will use a fraction of our strength and that there are healers on standby for all demonstrations. You are safe.” 

Sora squeezed through two particularly large people and popped out the other end of the grounds. He could see Aqua to his right, letting the audience challenger into the battleground. Sora waited until the man was safely inside before running up to her. “Aqua!”

“Roxas!” she said happily, nudging a wayward spike off his forehead. “I’m glad you made it before Terra started. How are you?”

“I’m good,” Sora said, looking over to Terra and the challenger as their weapons made contact for the first time. The cacophony of cheers in response blew him away. “I had no idea this was so…”

“Crazy?” Aqua offered goodnaturedly, returning to her full height to look over the audience. It was comforting to see her dressed in her normal outfit, accented here and there with part of her keyblade armor. “It was like this when Master Eraqus held it too. He said it ‘gave life back to your bones.’”

Sora chuckled, watching Terra blast the challenger into the barrier. The keyblade master threw his arms up triumphantly. “It sure seems to do that.”

“Are you still okay to do your holy? No one else here has seen it before besides Ven, I think.”

Sora smiled brilliantly. “Of course.”

Aqua’s expression faltered, but she seemed to shake it off quick. “Okay...there’ll be a break after this set, and then I’ll do my magic. You can go on after that, alright?”

“Ok!” Sora cheered, pumping up his fist. How long had it been since he last used a high power attack? The strange expression appeared on Aqua’s face again, but this time Sora registered it as confusion. Oh. Wait. “I mean, yeah, that’s fine,” he edited, coughing into his fist the way Roxas would.

She squinted at him more carefully. Sora did his best to not look suspicious, starting to sweat behind his ears. “I better go see what Lea is up to,” he said finally, scratching the back of his head. “He gets into all kinds of trouble if I’m not there.”

Aqua nodded distractedly and moved forward to let the challenger stagger out. The crowd seemed to grow more lively as Terra asked for another volunteer, and Sora took that opportunity to slide quickly away from the commotion. Where in the world was Riku? Several minutes of him circling the grounds, squeezing through bodies that were far bigger than him, Sora stopped. There, in a small gap between people, he could see Riku in the ring. 

“Just for fairness, I’m going to let Master Riku take over the spars. Don’t let his youth fool you, he’s got a wealth of experience under his belt. Do we have any takers?” Terra said. Many voices answered, the sounds vaguely muted to Sora’s ears. Master Riku. Riku’s here.

Sora pushed himself into that small gap with fascination, taking in the familiar silver hair and distantly confident green eyes. He looked good. A little older. More muscles. God. He’d gotten new battle clothes - the combat boots he knew, long fitted black pants tucked in, sharp silver metal hip plates that jutted out at strange angles, a navy fitted, sleeveless turtleneck that showed off his arms, a pauldron of the same metal and yellow detailing atop his left shoulder, a dark silver shoulder cape that attached to it - 

“Looks different, huh?” Lea whispered into his left ear.

Sora jolted, doubling back and clutching his heart with a hand. “Lea! Jeez you scared me.” 

Lea chuckled, returning to his full height. “Sorry. Couldn’t resist. Been a while since you seen Riku, huh?”

“Yeah,” Sora said slowly, watching Riku move forward to congenially shake the challenger's hand. “When did he get those clothes?”

“Ven was saying something about new armor for him. Might have been a gift from his students.”

Riku allowed the challenger to strike first, swiftly shoving the rapier aside with Braveheart. Sora watched, enraptured by how much more force Riku had in his parrys. “Students?” he echoed. “I thought he only had one.” It was surreal to have him so close. For Riku not to know he was here.

“Really?” Lea asked, genuinely surprised. “No, he’s got a small class of seven. Eight, if you count the one-on-one mentoring he’s doing.”

The challenger struck suddenly with a firaga spell, forcing Riku to exit his combo and dive backward. The fire was quickly quelled by Riku’s blizzaga, using the distraction as an opening. After a solid strike, the challenger was knocked flat on his back. The crowd cheered and Riku smirked, taking in the praise with a tad more humbleness than Terra had. 

“One-on-one?” Sora repeated, looking up at Lea. “What do you mean one-on-one?”

Lea blinked down at him with a frown. “He hasn’t told you?”

“No?” Sora questioned, watching the challenger limp out near Aqua and a tall, lithe woman take her place in the arena. “What hasn’t he told me?”

Lea frowned, looking back out at Riku. “He’s mentoring someone who shows great promise. Whatever that means. Aqua asked him to do it and show him around the universe when they had free time. Apparently he’s part of a world that’s never been contacted by outsiders before.” 

Riku struck first this time, a flurry of light magic and low combos. The woman kept up gracefully, dodging his attempts and casting reflect every so often. It caught Riku off guard only once. He smirked the same way he did when Sora did something new and exciting, eyes flashing dangerously. A challenge. He charged. 

“Free time?” Sora asked, confused. “I thought Riku didn’t have any free time.” 

A flurry of aerial combat that forced Aqua to pull the barrier higher. Sora watched Riku and the woman from the ground, feeling very small. “Did they go places together?”

Lea sighed heavily. 

The woman landed on the ground with a staggered thud, Riku following after in a neat landing. He looked winded but happy with the win. Sora could make out Riku’s words to the woman above the roaring of the crowd. Good job. 

“Lea, did he?” Sora asked with renewed vigor, a deep seed of doubt and fear taking root. He looked up to his friend, pleading for more information. 

“He,” Lea began, eyebrows furrowed. Sora did not like this reaction at all. “Yes, he has gone off world with his student many times. He really didn’t tell you?”

And it wasn’t something earth-shattering like cheating or falling out of love, but Sora and Riku had always shared everything with each other, before and after their relationship. How much of Riku’s life was he unaware of? What kind of boyfriend was he, to not know something so important? What kind of boyfriend was Riku, to not tell him, to lie about not having time to come see him?

“We have an interesting battle ahead of us!” Terra said, popping into the arena momentarily. “One of Riku’s students has requested a battle. Now, you know we offer classes and training to all who are deemed advanced enough. Let this be a testament.” Terra smiled at the applause from the crowd, it was the most jovial Sora had ever seen him. 

That same man Sora had met, Chrom, waltzed into the arena, waving humbly to, who Sora assumed, were his comrades. Riku cocked his head at the man and gave a wry smile. “You sure you up for this?” he asked Chrom.

Chrom got into a battle stance and smiled back. “Of course, Master Riku.”

“Is that him?” Sora asked Lea, refusing to look away from the two men in front. “Tell me that isn’t him.”

Chrom charged first, all speed and grace, while Riku took a more heavy stance, preparing for an impact. Their swords met, a screech of metal beside matching grins. 

“Not bad,” Riku said after they’d shoved one another far back. “Now I expect you to actually try.”

“I guess I can stop going easy on you,” Chrom joked, straightening the sword and gearing up an elemental attack. “Not like I’m your student or anything.” 

It was a water attack, and it spiraled around Riku until he managed to air step out of it just before it constricted around him. He flipped into slash and bore the blade down, a magic force sliding through the dirt and toward Chrom. Direct hit. 

Sora did not like the way they fought. Did not like how well they knew each other's moves, the same way Sora was supposed to know Riku’s moves. He did not like their bantering, too much like his own. They were close. They were friends. Riku had told him nothing about this.

“Hey,” Lea said, physically shifting him away from the fight to look into his eyes. “Don’t start thinking weird stuff. They’re just friends.”

“If that were true, would you be saying that to me? I didn’t give you any of my suspicions,” Sora said, voice lower with grief. “There’s potential for it, at the very least.”

“Sora,” Lea sighed out. “You can’t believe that. After all the two of you have been through, do you really think he’d find love with someone else?”

“Maybe,” Sora said dejectedly, staring at his shoes. “I’m so busy all the time. Who’d want to stay with me?”

“Okay, hold on, Sora, C’mon wait,” Lea pleaded as Sora moved past him. 

“I need to be alone,” Sora said abruptly, moving faster into the throng of people. 

Lea quickly lost sight of him, even with his height advantage. He sighed again, crossing his arms tightly in thought. “Dummy,” he said to the night air. “Didn’t even realize I found him out. Where are you really, Roxas?”

❅ *  ‧͙⁺˚*･༓  {.⋅ ✯ ⋅.} ༓･*˚⁺‧͙ *  ❅ 

“Pick up, pick up, pick up,” Sora chanted aloud as his phone dialed. He’d found a secluded corner of stained glass windows on the second floor, one of the windows open with a view of the arena. It was the most secure he could get, and he at least had eyes on the proceedings below. A clicking sound and then a rush of voices queued into the room. 

“Sora?” Roxas asked, holding up the gummiphone to show Sora’s own face. “Hey, how’s it going over there? NO I JUST TOLD YOU NOT TO PUT THE- sorry hang on Sor.” The phone was dropped to Roxas’s waist and all Sora could see was shiny white marble. Something about flowers was being discussed. “Okay!” Roxas said, voice coming closer as the phone was put back in a selfie position. “Sorry. Things are...crazy right now.”

“Are guests arriving?” Sora asked, biting his lip. “Looks like you’re all dressed up and ready to go.” Now that he saw it on himself, the formal white blazer with gold buttons and sash didn’t look as pretentious as he thought it would. At least he wasn’t wearing a bunch of metals, like some nameless, pompous royal mentees. 

“Yeah,” Roxas said, shifting his eyes. “They’re in the entry chamber until things are ready in the main ballroom. We’re following your itinerary to a T. Don’t worry.” 

Sora smiled sadly. Part of him wished he’d just stayed there. 

“Oh no,” Roxas said, staring at him. “I know that look on my face. Brooding. What happened? Riku too busy to hang out?”

“Haven’t been able to tell him it’s me,” Sora groaned, settling back onto the wall. “They’re doing some demonstrations now. Found out he’s mentoring this guy one-on-one. Has been for months.”

Roxas pointed at something offscreen, most likely directing a servant to something. “Uh huh, and?”

“And he never told me. Said he was super busy but had time, “free time”, for this guy. Lea said he’s been showing him around the universe. Suddenly it’s not a big deal if it’s for a student?”

“You think he’s been withholding information on purpose,” Roxas surmised, skirting a woman carrying a tray of empty champagne glasses. “And he’s doing it because he wants to spend time with his guy more?”

“Yes.”

“That’s hella dumb, Sora.”

“It is not,” Sora defended, glancing outside to make sure the demonstrations were still going. “I saw them fight and they have...I don’t know, chemistry? They banter? They know each other's moves so well, Roxas.”

Roxas sputtered air out of his closed lips, glancing at the area beyond his phone in thought. “You think he doesn’t want you anymore.” 

Sora said nothing to that, his concerns being voiced from his literal reflection too much to handle. He choked on a hiccuped breath. “What if he didn’t want me here at all? Maybe I should just do the demo and leave. I could get back to Radiant Garden in time for the guests to turn in, at least.”

“Sora,” Roxas said in a whisper, bringing the phone closer to his face. “Listen to me. You aren’t leaving until you tell Riku that you did this crazy shit just to see him on your anniversary. The best thing that could happen? You guys spend the next two days together and he assures you everything’s fine.”

“And the worst?” Sora asked mournfully, feeling a headache start to develop between his eyes.

“You break up.” 

Sora’s heart constricted at the words. No, no, no. “I don’t want that.”

“So you’d rather pretend you have a relationship and let things go on?” Roxas asked candidly, pity settling into his expression. “You gotta be brave about this Sora. I know you can.” 

A sudden swell of cheering brought Sora’s attention back to the arena below, where Riku and Terra were bowing respectfully to the crowd. It was over. “I have to go, Roxas. I’m sorry I spent the whole time whining. Do you need help with anything over there?”

Roxas smiled, tilting his head to the side. “Kairi and I got it. You have a good support system you’ve built here, Sora. You should use them more. See you.”

The screen went black. Sora counted to ten, drawing careful breaths in and out, before pocketing his phone and making his way back downstairs. The ballroom was full of people again, but this time there was a line of food at the far end. Sora ignored the rumble of his stomach and sauntered off to find Riku, trying more carefully to be in character this time. 

“Roxas!” a familiar voice called. Ventus. The one person he was trying to actively avoid. He could come clean to everyone now, but knew it would only sour things between him and Riku. Riku hated it when he was the cause, even if indirectly, for drama. Sora weighed his options and walked over to the small group Ven was a part of, taking note of a few warriors and -

Riku, in all his Keyblade Master glory. Had he gotten taller? Or was he and Roxas just this short? Sora was awestruck by Riku’s polite smile and low chuckle, even though it wasn’t directed to him. Next to Riku was the same guy Sora had met earlier. 

“Hey! I couldn’t find you at all,” Ven complained when he was close enough, coming in for a hug. Sora allowed it and hugged back, remembering the action to be pretty normal between Roxas and Ven. “Where’ve you been?”

“Uh,” Sora drawled out, scratching the back of his head. “Sorry, I got a call from...Sora.” 

“Sora?” Ven repeated, cocking his head. “What’s wrong with him? Isn’t his big event going on now?”

Sora opened his mouth to respond when he felt intense eyes on him. Familiar eyes. He turned to note that Riku had taken two steps forward and nodded in greeting. Sora’s heartbeat quickened. Riku was so close. 

“Is everything okay?” Riku asked seriously, trying to keep his brows from furrowing in concern. 

Just by the mention of his name. Riku had deviated his attention from Chrom to them because he’d heard the words ‘Sora’ and ‘Wrong’ in the same sentence. Riku always made sure he was okay. Sora did his best to push down the tiny sliver of triumph. Take that Chrom. He cleared his throat before glancing between Riku and Ven. “Sora’s fine! He just wanted to check on something before the ball started.”

“Did you talk to him about….you know?” Ven asked in a whisper, tugging him away from Riku. Sora caught Riku’s expression right as it happened - suspicious. Good. Served him right.

“About what?” Sora whispered back, watching Riku return to Chrom’s side and laugh at something another warrior said. Chrom handed him a drink. Sora did not like that, and wished Ven hadn’t shut him out so fast. Now he had to deal with Ven before getting Riku alone.

“About, hey, why are you staring at Riku?! We agreed you were gonna ask Sora if he was okay. How he’s been really quiet lately?” Ven explained, staring at him in earnest. 

Sora faltered, focusing his attention. Had his shift in priorities really been so apparent? “I did ask him.” Sora replayed the conversation he and Roxas had earlier. What had he said?

“And?”

“He said he’s just tired,” Sora answered, putting his arms behind his head idly. 

“What about the other thing?” Ven continued, tugging on Sora’s sleeve. “Did you ask?”

“Uh,” Sora said, trying to buy himself time. “What do you think?”

“What do you mean?!” Ven asked, bemused by the reaction. He huffed, hands propped on his hips. “You hit your head hard or something?”

“Uh, maybe?” Sora said, smiling. “I’ve had a headache for a while.”

Ventus’s smile flatlined. “Have you? For how long?”

“I don’t know, sometime when I came in?” Sora guessed. “Should go away when I eat something though. Will you excuse me? I have to talk to Riku.” 

Ventus watched him go with a gleam in his eye, and Sora did not like that at all. He needed to tell Riku everything, fast. It was the only way to turn the day around. The only way to know for sure what was going through his boyfriend’s dumb, stupidly attractive head. 

“Hey, Riku,” he called, watching the keyblade master look up. It was so much harder to be upset with that face in front of him. “Can I talk with you for a sec?”

Riku blinked and said something to Chrom and his friends, walking to Sora with an unsure quirk of the lips. “What’s up?”

“Outside,” Sora demanded, taking his wrist and dragging them off into the courtyard again. Riku sputtered, and Sora managed to shove down the desire to pull him into an embrace. There were a fair amount of people, but they could find an empty spot to - 

“Riku, Roxas!” 

“Damn it!” Sora cursed out loud, looking up at the night sky. 

Riku raised his eyebrows at the reaction and looked over at the approaching party member. “Lea,” Riku stated with distaste. “Really hoped you wouldn’t be here.”

“Hey,” Lea said jovially, slapping Riku harshly on the back. “Fuck you too man.”

“Lea, can you give me and Riku a moment, please?” Sora pleaded. Even the catering company hadn’t given him this much stress. The two boys were silent at the tone, the stress evident in Sora’s body.

“Is it that serious?” Riku asked, glancing at Sora with furrowed brows. “That he can’t be here? Your best friend?”

Lea blinked at them and then away. “I have a feeling I know what it is.”

“What?” Sora questioned. There was no way Lea had figured it out. “I don’t think you do.” 

“It’s about our pal Sora, right?” Lea specified. “And the fact that Riku and his little student are very buddy-buddy?”

“What?” Riku asked, jolting back in shock. “Are you implying-”

“I dunno, are we Roxy?” Lea prompted. The angling of his face was an unspoken beckoning for Sora to speak. He could say whatever he wanted, Sora realized. Maybe it would be beneficial to play this out as Roxas, ask questions Riku had avoided answering these past few weeks. Lea cared about Sora too, right? Did it matter if he told them both it was him and not Roxas? Or would they be mad? Would Riku be mad?

Or worse, what if Sora revealed himself and Riku told him to go home? That he didn’t want Sora here, no matter the form? At least this way, he could be with Riku at a distance. And be somewhat honest. He clenched his fists. He wouldn't reveal his secret now, not when his mind was overloading with anxiety. “Sora told me you broke off the link. And that you haven’t been talking.”

Riku’s face twitched. “I don’t see how that’s your business.” Sora knew that expression. The wall was up, and he didn’t know how to bring it down as someone else. When they were kids, Riku’s temper was infamous. The only thing that could draw him out of a tantrum was, well, Sora. Riku told him once that it was because he was his light, even when they were kids. Some light he was now. Riku couldn't even recognize him. Sora still had to stay in character, but he wanted the  _ truth _ . A truth Riku hadn’t had the courage to say to Sora directly. Whatever that was. The reason for their tension. As much as he loved this man, Sora hated how much Riku held inside. 

“Well, you aren’t making it yours, apparently,” Sora bit back, proud of the harsh comment. That was much more like Roxas. “You can’t just go off with your student and tell Sora you’re too busy to see him. You’re dating!”

Riku rolled his shoulders back and glared at Sora, as if gearing up for a fight. “Again, none of your business.” 

And Sora wanted to punch that expression off his face. He wanted to yell at him for not being honest, for not trying harder, for not realizing he was Sora in Roxas’s clothing. Hadn’t Riku told him not one year ago that he’d know when it was Sora? No matter what he looked like?

That link of theirs was more valuable than Riku realized, and they’d over relied on it since being long distance. Sora gulped, fist tightening painfully in anger. He wanted the night to work. He wanted to spend it with Riku, happy. But the jealousy and the hurt was crowding his ability to keep himself in check. 

“You’re gonna lose him,” Sora said suddenly, the words hurting himself as he said it. “He’s worth more than you’re giving him, right now.” Because it was true. Roxas was right. He needed to know if this relationship was worth to Riku as much as it was to him. 

“Like you know anything,” Riku taunted, turning on his heel. The dark silver cape billowed out with the movement, making him look like a stubborn, stupid fairy tale characer. Unfair. “I’m out,” Riku stated. “Go bother someone else.” 

“Hey!” Lea spat, grabbing Riku’s arm. “You might wanna listen to him, man. He knows what he’s talking about.” 

Riku shrugged out of his grip and continued walking.

“Isn’t it your anniversary tomorrow?!” Sora called out. A low blow that landed, if Riku’s pause had any meaning. “Are you at least gonna call him?”

Riku twisted his head to glare at Sora. “This is a lot more talking and a lot less fighting than I expected. What? You see me battle earlier and get scared?”

“He doesn’t want a fight-” Lea tried to explain, apparently used to de-escalating things, but Riku was in jerk mode and 14 year old Sora - who had to kick Jerk Riku’s ass several times - came rushing to the surface. 

“Maybe I do!” Sora shouted suddenly, invigorated. “Maybe I wanna kick his face in!” 

“Whoa whoa,” Lea said, grabbing Sora’s arm and dragging them away from Riku. “You don’t mean that. Let’s go.” Sora glared at Riku as he went, and saw Riku’s glower turn softer and more inquisitive. Lea turned him around and pushed them to an inclined treeline decorated with soft glowing blue and yellow lights, smaller this time. The sight was enough to calm him. A breeze meandered through the leaves and gently brushed Sora’s clothes against his skin. His face was still hot with anger. 

“Calmer now?” Lea asked, sitting directly on the grass. He patted the spot next to him. “We can see the battles from here, I think.”

Sora huffed, turning around to find he was right. The crowd was gathering again, though Aqua and the others weren’t there yet. “Are they gonna start soon?”

“Guess so,” Lea commented, patting the spot next to him again. “Sit, Sora.”

Sora sat, arching his back to get a crick out of his spine. Then the words hit. “Wait, what did you call me?”

Lea raised an eyebrow. “Did you really think you were gonna pull a fast one on me? Me?! Roxas’s best friend? As if.”

Sora’s mouth opened in wonder, gazing out at the arena. “How did you know? Riku didn’t even know.”

“Riku’s a dumbass,” Lea said offhandedly before leaning back on his hands and crossing his feet at the ankles. “At first I just thought you,  _ Roxas _ , was being strange. And then I saw you ogling Riku the same way Roxas does ice cream and put two and two together. The April Fools incident wasn’t too long ago, you know.”

Ventus was in the arena now, saying something that made the crowd cheer exuberantly. Sora wanted to be anywhere but here. Had he really just yelled at Riku? Like he was 14 again? “Why didn’t you call me out? In front of Riku?”

Lea cocked his head and pouted his lips in thought. “Seems like you wouldn’t  _ not _ tell him for no good reason. I trust your judgement, Sora. If you wanted to keep this freaky friday situation on the DL from Riku, who am I to say no?” Lea playfully glared at him. “Though a little warning would have been nice. I’m assuming Roxy is in your shoes?”

“Yeah,” Sora said, hugging his legs into his chest. “He’s covering the Yule Ball for me. It’s going well.” Sora could imagine it now, the grandeur of the decorated halls, the music of the orchestra drifting into the corridors, their crafting station crowded with laughs and giggles, delicious food at the tips of his fingers - but what mattered most - friends from all around. “It must be beautiful. I can’t believe I ditched my first Yule Ball for this. I planned for months.” 

“Why did you ditch?” Lea asked lightly. “Roxas was telling me how awesome it sounded. Wished he could go. Support you and feel all christmassy.” 

Sora smiled, unaware that Roxas had wanted to attend. “Well, he’s doing both of those things, just not with me there.” 

“I’m still not getting a reason why you switched, Sora. You said something to Riku about an anniversary?” Lea coaxed. “Is that the reason?”

Ventus began a magic performance in the arena, wind attacks that manipulated small, metal training balls. Testament to how powerful the gust was and how much control Ven had over it. 

“Yeah. I wanted to surprise him. I love what I planned but Riku and I’s schedules didn't line up. That was okay for me a couple days ago. Now it isn’t.” Because they had more issues than Sora thought they did. Because what he thought was their first official fight turned out to be a gigantic obstacle. A relationship-ending obstacle. With a potential side piece named Chrom.

“And now you’re not telling him it’s you because you know about his student and the free time thing. Because of me. Shit,” Lea commented, running a hand through his hair wearily.

“No!” Sora objected, taking that same hand in his own. “I’m really, really relieved that you told me. I needed to know. Thank you, Lea. I’m so grateful to have a friend like you, who’s honest even if the truth hurts me.”

Lea looked stunned at the speech and then chuckled, looking back out in the arena. He grasped Sora’s hand a little tighter. “It’s really weird hearing you say stuff like that with Roxas’s face.”

“Roxas and I aren’t so different,” Sora protested. “I’m sure he feels the same way I do, if not way, way more!”

“Maybe,” Lea mused, watching Ven lift someone in the air with his magic. “Hey, why’s the ball so important to you anyway? You could’ve handed it off and made time with Riku that way.”

Sora thought carefully about that, considering how much he wanted to say. “I want to be what connects people,” he offered with a shrug.

Lea blinked at him encouragingly. 

“And I feel like that’s what this job is supposed to do. Connect people in a way that brings everyone together. These events seem like fun, but they’re also there to remind us all that we want the same thing in life, no matter where we’re from: love, companionship, understanding, acceptance. I spent a whole day picking out flowers for the castle, but it took a whole day because I was talking to Aerith about the other farmers who grow them, what their lives are like, and which ones would bring the most joy. It took me even longer to figure out the menu, but that was because Remy and I got lost tasting everything he made, and talking, and I needed to know where all the dishes came from, too.” Sora took a deep breath, aware it was a long winded answer. 

“I want to create a sanctuary for our universe. As a place, a person, or a single night that helps you find peace of mind when you need it. It’s important. We’ve all been through so much alone. I want to do this job right because it’s something only I can do. It just takes up a lot more time and energy than I thought it would.”

Lea whistled after a beat of silence. “Damn, Sora. That’s a lot of passion for a tiny body.”

“I’m not tiny!” Sora pouted, moving from his introspective state. “And I just care about a lot of things.”

“Could you live the life you have now without Riku and be happy?” Lea asked, watching Ventus take a bow and leave the battleground. “How much  _ have _ you been talking to Riku?”

The very thought made his heart break, a deep, aching mess of emotions spilling all over his insides. “I guess I kind of...have been living without him.”

“How’s it going?”

“Okay.”

“Sora - dude. C’mon. It’s just little old me.” 

Sora frowned, taking note that Aqua was performing some water stunts and he’d have to go up next. “I can’t tell if I’m not doing okay because of the job or because of Riku.”

Lea hummed in sympathy. “Yeah, they started at practically the same time, huh?”

Sora nodded, rising to his feet. “All I know is that something is missing from my life. I travel and I work a lot, but I get to see my friends and make a difference. When I feel really tired, it’s because I’m thinking about what Riku might be doing. Or why he hasn’t responded to my text for a couple days. Everything would be easier if he’d been with me, in Radiant Garden, the whole time.”

“Well, there’s your answer,” Lea said matter-of-factly, looking up at him. “Sounds like you’re not ‘okay’ without Riku. Which means you need to make this work. Which means you should probably tell him it’s you and not my dear Roxas that’s talking to him?”

“Probably,” Sora muttered. The consequences of that confession might be more trouble than leaving without a word would be. He had to be brave, like Roxas said. “I gotta go. Keyblade stuff.” 

“Right, right,” Lea dismissed, waving him away. “I’ll watch from here. Oi! Make sure to duel wield!” 

A very, very good reminder. Sora smiled back at him and gave a thumbs up, running to the crowd and Terra, who he could see at the edge of the barrier. New game plan, finish up Roxas’s duties, tell Riku it’s him, and put his entire soul into making their relationship work, Chrom be damned. Or maybe he should befriend Chrom? 

“Rox!” Terra called, waving him over. “Just in time. Ven thought it’d be fun to have you both go against one another and lead up to holy. More impressive that way. How’s the barrier? Big enough?”

Sora faltered at the mention of Ventus. He was hoping he’d be a one-trick-pony for the night, retire before Ven could critique his form. As much as Sora and Roxas were alike, there were some fundamental battle traits, like stance and aerial vs. ground combat, that they differed in. A whole fight? With Ven? “Uh,” Sora uttered, looking into the empty arena and the people crushed up against the barrier wall. “Maybe make the barrier a little wider?” 

“Got it,” Terra confirmed, calling out a warning to the audience. The barrier grew in size, leaving a much spacier battleground. He could do this. “Ven, you ready?” Terra called out.

“Yep!” Ven hollered, jogging up to them, all bright eyes and smiles. “Gonna kick your butt Rox!” 

“Yeah right!” Sora taunted, walking through the barrier as Aqua exited with a wave. He waited for Ven to get settled before summoning oathkeeper and oblivion, twirling them together that telltale way Roxas did, stance slow, favoring a right lean. He could do this. 

Ven waited a second before furrowing his brows. Another beat of waiting. Ven seemed to shake something off and charged at him impressively. Sora knew Ven’s backhand form was really good at blindsiding opponents, and he thanked his past self profusely for dual wielding a fair bit before this moment. Dodging without using aerial was difficult, so much so that Ven caught him off guard for a half-second. Sora grit his teeth and barely moved out of the way in time, catching the wind of Ventus’ blade. 

“Hey,” Ven said, still slashing forward, albeit slower. “You feeling okay? Your fighting is a little off.”

Sora pursed his lips together and pursued Ven suddenly, the way Roxas did when he was angry, a smooth decisive cut of slashes that could block as they swung at the opponent. Sora had been at the end of this only once - the first time he’d ever met Roxas back on their heartstation. The crowd’s roar was somewhat muffled by the magic barrier, but it definitely inclined in volume as he relentlessly drove at his opponent. That is, until Ven slid into a cyclone command and gave him a run for his munny. Sora found himself using a payback strike and a dodge roll in succession, wincing at how unRoxas the combination was. 

Ven was huffing for breath too, but with squinted eyes and suspicion. Sora needed to finish this fast. Now. “I’m going for it!” he warned Ven, drawing up his MP and watching the area around them flash dangerously with white light. 

“Got it!” Ven yelled back, pulling up the highest possible reflectga he could. That was a good idea. The whole point of Roxas’s special attack was that it couldn’t be reflected. Ven would be untouched, but unable to touch him back. A good crowd pleaser. The sensation of feathers against his skin grew stronger and stronger until Sora was floating in the air. He could feel the thirteen shields of light form around them in a circle, gathering energy until they converged on Ven ruthlessly. 

It was one of the quietest and deadliest attacks Sora knew how to do, and he was endlessly grateful that Roxas had taught him. Having a move or two in your pocket that didn’t match your fighting style was a godsend against pattern-cataloging foes. 

When the lights dimmed out in a flutter of blue and green shards, Ven was left in his sphere while the area around it was several feet deeper and steaming with heat. The crowd was shocked by the damage. Sora wished Roxas had been here for this, the reaction from these people that might’ve, just a little bit, underestimated the attack. Then suddenly, hoots and hollers from all around. Inquisitive shouting. Clapping.

Sora scratched the back of his head sheepishly, taking in the occasion while Ven hopped delicately from his strange platform to meet him. “Good fight,” Sora complimented, extending a hand Ven’s way. 

Ven blinked at him, opening and closing his mouth before shaking Sora’s hand. “I get why you wouldn’t tell Aqua and Terra. But why not me?” 

Sora cocked his head, wondering if Ven was asking what he thought he was. “Ven?”

“Not Roxas?” Ven ventured shakily, detracting his hand. “I like to think that I know Roxas very well. Sora, even better. Am I right?”

And there was something about being caught by someone he loved so dearly that soothed the aches Sora had sustained from the night. Sora’s bottom lip quivered a little bit, but it shoved it away, very aware that they were still on a stage. “Come with me?” he asked instead, pointing to the barrier entrance. 

“Yeah,” Ven agreed, relieved that his suspicions were warranted. “I’m gonna go get something to eat with Roxas real quick!” he said to Aqua as exited. “That okay?”

“Of course!” Aqua said, ruffling both of their heads with her hands. She chuckled at their groans of frustration. “You two did really good out there. The rest is just me and Terra, so go have fun!”

“Yes ma’am!” Sora said, saluting her. She looked at him funny. 

Ven elbowed him in the side and laughed nervously. “He had some of the punch.” 

She still seemed uncertain but allowed Ven to pull the two away. Sora groaned as soon as they were out of earshot, walking quickly through the cool night air and toward the ballroom again. “I can’t believe how hard it is to not be me.”

Ven snorted. “Uh huh. I can’t believe it took me this long to realize it was you. I’m a terrible brother.” 

“No you’re not!” Sora immediately objected. “You’re the best big brother.”

“I’m a big brother?” Ven asked apprehensively, wrinkling his nose as they stepped onto the black marble. Less people were gathered here, but enough for it to still feel like a party. Ven led them to the food table and grabbed two plates, handing one to Sora on reflex. “Are we sure I am? I feel like Roxas is more the big brother.”

“Roxas is literally like, two years old,” Sora deadpanned, looking over the heaps of pasta, meats, breads, and roasted veggies. “And he’s aggressive enough to be the middle child.”

“Are middle children aggressive?” Ven mused, scooping a very fancy looking pesto tortellini dish onto both their plates.

“Uh, I think so,” Sora answered, reaching for any memories he had of friends that were middle children. “Maybe that’s more of a tv show thing? Xion is the youngest and those are supposed to be spoiled.” A slice of sourdough caught his attention. He grabbed two and tossed one onto Ven’s plate.

Ven sagely lifted a finger and looked at Sora. “She is the most spoiled. This is true.” 

“Right?” Sora said, mouth full of sourdough bread. “Like I get Namine spoiling her but Kairi too? And Ienzo? And Lea? I don’t understand. I want baked goods and trinkets too.” Ven slid some meat onto his plate as he talked. “So I think you have to be the oldest.” 

“Doesn’t that make you a middle child, too?” Ven asked, amused. “I don’t see you being aggressive.” 

“I am aggressive about food,” Sora said, snatching a handful of grapes, sourdough half in his mouth. “Let’s go eat this.”

“I don’t know what you just said,” Ven responded gesturing to Sora’s full mouth. “But I think we should go eat this somewhere...less populated.” 

They went to Ven’s bedroom. Like children. 

“It’s the only guaranteed safe place here!” Ven protested when Sora groaned at the stairs. Ven loved his room, but it did involve a fair bit of climbing. When inside, Sora did feel a larger degree of comfort. The room wasn’t too far off from how Sora had decorated his bedroom back in Destiny Islands. Radiant Garden’s still felt like a hotel room. Why was that? 

“Okay,” Ven said as soon as they were cross legged on the floor, plates at the ready. “Tell me everything.”

❅ *  ‧͙⁺˚*･༓  {.⋅ ✯ ⋅.} ༓･*˚⁺‧͙ *  ❅ 

  
  


Sora stretched in satisfaction after they finished eating, having talked at length about the situation and what Roxas was up to. Now he just needed Ven to keep it a secret. 

“This sounds like a mess,” Ven bemoaned, rubbing the side of his cheek. “Did you guys not remember the crazy stuff that happened when Vanitas and I the switch?”

“We did,” Sora defended guiltily. “I just. I really needed to see him, Ven. Something isn’t right with me, because he’s not there. I can’t ignore it anymore. It needed to be now.” 

Ven blinked at him and inhaled silently, knocking his head back against the bed frame with a soft thunk. “You guys are so dramatic.”

“Hey!” Sora protested. “We are not!”

Ven scoffed, shifting knowing eyes his way. “You are whenever you’re separated. I told you long distance wasn’t a good idea, last year. Didn’t I?”

He had. “But,” Sora said, huffy. “The options were do it this way or not try at all.”

“No,” Ven said, bemused. “You two made it out that way. It looked like Riku was waiting for you to come up with some plan on your end, to come stay here with us and then he’d go over there with you. He talked to Aqua about it.”

“What?” Sora muttered, searching his memory. “I never heard about this.” 

“We all figured something happened, because then Riku got very grumpy and stopped going to see you so much.”

“And then not at all, after he cut the link.”

Ven lifted his head off the bedframe, eyebrows furrowed. “He did what?”

Sora blinked at the expression. “He cut off our link. Said it was because he was getting in trouble here for it. You didn’t know?”

Ventus turned his body to Sora, eyes beseeching. “Sora, we have never remotely hinted to Riku that he should do that. I think Terra lectured him once about paying attention, but it was in good humor! I don’t know why he’d…” 

Thoughts were coming rapid fire, infiltrating the peace that Ven’s presence and bedroom had brought. “What if he doesn’t want the link anymore?” Sora breathed, eyes wide. “What if he’s in love with someone else and needed to hide it?”

“Okay, no,” Ven said immediately. “This is Riku we’re talking about -”

The sound of Roxas’s gummi phone went off at that moment, cutting off Ven’s words. Sora limply unlocked the device and sighed at the name. “It’s Roxas.” 

“Pick it up. I have to yell at both of you,” Ven requested. Sora grimaced and did, despite the fact that he was trying very hard to hold it together.

Roxas was outside on one of the balconies, and it was snowing. The fairy lights he’d put up last minute looked so good. “Hey! It’s snowing!” Sora exclaimed, temporarily raised from his ill spirit. 

“Yeah!” Roxas said, turning the phone to show more of the winter wonderland. “Pretty steadily too, but everything’s going well. Aside from the fact that Elsa saw the fake icicles you hung and keeps insisting that hers would be better.” 

Sora snorted. “Of course. Nevermind the fact that we have to heat the castle.” 

“Hey! I’m here too!” Ven said, curving around Sora to wave at Roxas. “Is that really you in there Rox?” 

“Unfortunately,” Roxas said with Sora’s face in an unenthused expression. “Too many people know this face. I can’t get a break.”

“Welcome to my life!” Sora singsonged. “Was this just a check-in or?”

“Sora!” Xion's voice said from outside the screen. Roxas looked up and waved her over.

“Is that Xi?” Ven asked excitedly. “Merry Christmas Eve you guys!” 

“Merry Christmas Eve!” Xion breathed, coming into view next to Roxas. Her cheeks were bright red from the cold. “Sora! Roxas told me what you guys are doing. Why didn’t you invite me?”

“Invite you?” Sora repeated incredulously. The more people that knew about this, the longer it would take for their group to forget when news got out. Oh god, this was going to be The Christmas Eve Incident, wasn’t it? “What do you mean, switch bodies three ways?”

“Yeah!” Xion said, shrugging. “Oh, or Ventus too! Four ways!”

“Believe it or not,” Roxas said, lightly shaking Xion's shoulder back and forth. “Sora and I did not do this for fun.” He looked at Sora hopefully. “We did it to help Sora and Riku. How’s it going?”

“Uh,” Sora drew out, looking around him awkwardly. “He still doesn’t know it’s me and I told him I wanted to kick his face in so…”

“What?” the three of them exclaimed in almost perfect harmony. 

“Why?” Ven followed up, appalled. 

“He’s kind of a jerk. I didn’t realize how much more patient he is with me than you, Roxas.”

“Well, duh,” Roxas said, rolling his eyes. “He’s obsessed with you, you dummy.”

“Which is why,” Xion explained, taking the phone from Roxas’s hands. “You’re going to tell him ASAP. If anyone can make this work, it’s you two. Plus, you have Ven to help you now.”

“Lea, too,” Sora added absentmindedly. It was nice to have the support of all his friends. Even if Riku did break his heart, one way or another, he’d have people to fall back on. 

“Wait, really?” Roxas asked, coming back into frame suddenly. “Did you tell him?”

“No,” Sora clarified slowly, watching the blond’s face. “He figured it out. Early.” 

“Impressive,” Ventus commented, crossing his arms. “He must know you really well Roxas.”

Roxas’s face, which was Sora’s face, flushed deeply. It was very strange to see it on himself. “Yeah, also, Xion?” Sora asked. 

Xion made an affirmative sound, poking Roxas’s cheek with a finger. 

“Has Lea ever said anything like ‘Nothing could take me away from you’ to you before?” Sora asked slyly, smirking at the way Roxas’s cheeks heated even further.

Xion and Ven caught on fast, giving Roxas attention he didn’t want. “I knew it!” Ven accused. “I didn’t say it but I knew it!”

“About time, Roxy!” Xion said hugging him happily. 

Roxas whined in embarrassment. “It’s not - There’s nothing - Nothing’s set in stone, okay?!”   
  


“But there are feelings,” Sora declared.. 

“Yes.”

“And he has responded to The Feelings positively?” Ven continued. 

“...yes.”

“I think that’s a thing, Roxas,” Xion said in the same tone she did when Roxas had attempted to wield a stick as a weapon. 

Roxas rubbed his face viciously with a strange battle cry. “This is about SORA. Go out there and make up with Riku and stop bothering me.”

“Alright,” Sora laughed. “I’ll talk to you -”

“Wait!” Ven screeched, making all of them flinch. “When is your spell gonna wear off?”

Roxas and Sora stared at each other in confusion. “It wears off?” Sora asked Ven, a level of dread swiftly rising. 

“You didn’t tell me it wears off!” Roxas exclaimed, panicked. “What if it does while I’m still helping Sora?!” 

“Guys!” Ven protested, horrified. “It only lasts 12 hours. When did you cast it?” 

Roxas flicked his wrist up, looking at his watch with a level of calm Sora did not have. “Um, I think it was before lunch, right Sora?”

“Yeah.”

“So, we have like…”

“An hour.”

“But the itinitery says you need to stick around for another three. For cleanup! I’ll be lucky if I say goodnight and goodbye to everyone within that time! And what about tomorrow?!” Roxas said rapidly. Sora related very deeply to the level of anxiety his Other was exhibiting. In a strange way, it put a lot into perspective. 

“Roxas,” Sora said. “Calm down. It’s going to be okay.”

“No, you worked so hard on this event and I’m gonna ruin it because I didn’t know about that stupid deadline -”

“Roxas!” Sora laughed, feeling lighter than he had about work in a long time. “Did you have a good time?”

“What?”

“Did you have fun tonight?”

Roxas rolled his shoulders back and shared a satisfied glance with Xion, who was still dutifully holding the phone. “I guess. Yeah. It was a lot of fun. I met tons of people. Ate good food. Learned about what you do. It was cool.”

“Do you think other people had fun tonight?” Sora asked, a little more nervous about the answer.

“Of course!” Roxas said, grin wide as Xion nodded her head in agreement. 

“Everyone was happy and relaxed!” she explained. “Sora, you made something magical happen tonight, and you didn’t even have to be here for it to work! That’s amazing!”

“Thank you,” Sora said meekly, sharing a glance with Ven. “That means a lot to me. Roxas, say goodbye to who you can but don’t sweat the rest. You can just say ‘Sora was really tired and fell asleep on his feet’ or something. It doesn’t need to be perfect,” Sora said, feeling something huge shift in him as he said the words aloud. “It just needs to work.” 

Roxas eyes, previously wide, softened into a fondness Sora knew he was reflecting. They all knew the gravity of the words he’d just said. “Thanks, Sora. I’d ask you how the demonstration went, but we both know it was great, cause it was my move.”

Ven laughed. “Of course it was great! You taught him well. You gonna teach me next?” 

“Oh! And me!” Xion said, nudging Roxas repeatedly in the side. “Me first!” 

“No! It’s my move!” Roxas responded, nudging Xion back. The playfight went on for a few seconds longer, bordering a dangerous actual-fight territory. 

“Younger and middle child,” Ven whispered to him as they watched. “You were right.” 

“Roxas! I’m gonna fix everything and be back tomorrow! Thanks again and Merry Christmas Eve!” 

Xion and Roxas stopped their flailing long enough to get back into selfie position. “Merry Christmas Eve, you guys!” Xion said, waving. “Sora, you tell Riku how you feel no matter how mean it might be.”

“I agree!” Roxas said. “Kick his face in.”

“Roxas!” Xion protested, kicking him in the shin for the choice of words. 

“Ow!” Roxas complained. 

“Okay byeeee! See you maybe tomorrow!” Ven said, pushing the button on the phone to end the call. They were quiet for a second, picking off scraps on their plates, before Ven snapped his fingers. “I have an idea.” 

“An idea?” Sora asked curiously. “What is it?”

“There’s this report we got about a rogue monster today, but we decided it could wait for tomorrow because it wasn’t close to any civilians. What if I just told Aqua and Terra that another report came in and it has to be taken care of  _ now _ ?”

Sora struggled to understand the use. “Okay? Why?”

“Because,” Ven said, getting more into his idea the further he thought. “Aqua and Terra can’t leave with this event going on, and neither can the students without supervision. I could go, but not if I drink a ton of that punch in the ballroom. Leaving…”

“Me and Riku,” Sora said in realization. He could get Riku out of this world, where he worked and where Chrom was, and into a level playing field. Plus, he’d be out of LoD when they spell wore off. “What if he says he can just do it on his own?” Sora ventured, worrying his lip. Riku was very stubborn about independence.

“I’ll say a blizzard is coming in and the buddy system is better? There are blizzards there like every day, they’ll believe me.”

“Wait, blizzard?” Sora asked, shoving the last grape in his mouth. “Where is this place?”

  
  


❅ *  ‧͙⁺˚*･༓  {.⋅ ✯ ⋅.} ༓･*˚⁺‧͙ *  ❅ 

  
  


“I’m so sorry, Riku,” Aqua apologized in their meeting chamber, all frowns. “I know I said no missions tonight but-”

“Hey,” Riku interrupted with a shrug, fancy outfit now replaced by warm, blue and black battle gear. “I get it. It happens. But I don’t need a buddy.”

Sora frowned at the comment, exchanging glances with Ven and Aqua and Lea. Terra had stayed below with the guests as the five of them sorted out the situation. “Ven said a blizzard is coming,” he voiced. “We want to make sure you get in and out okay.” 

“Ven is also drunk,” Riku deadpanned, gesturing at the way the blond could barely hold himself up. “Are we sure this was a legitimate report?”

“Even if it may not be,” Aqua reasoned, coming closer to Riku. “As a Master, could you really allow this to go uninvestigated? When lives were in possible danger?” 

“Sora is Roxas today,” Ven said with a small slur. “Crazy times.” 

“Ven, seriously,” Aqua remarked, appalled. “How much did you drink?” 

Lea struggled not to laugh as Ventus staggered into him.

Riku sighed and looked at Sora. “Alright. Let’s go, then. Maybe we can avoid the storm all together. I know this world pretty well.”

“Use the cabin if it gets too snowy out there,” Aqua warned. “The town always seems closer but-”

“The light is actually farther away, I know,” Riku said gratefully. “Roxas and I will be back either tonight or tomorrow, and we have our phones. We’ll call if there’s trouble.”

“Thank you, both of you!” Aqua smiled, summoning a portal at the center of the room. “It’s a good thing we had some spare winter clothes for you, Roxas. Be careful.” Sora nodded in thanks, glancing down at his black and white clothes. A great deal less cool, but it would keep him warm.

Riku waved and entered the portal first, disappearing in a flash of light. Sora glanced back at his friends and smiled, feeling a wave of fondness for the crazy, extended family he’d been blessed with. “Thanks you guys. Lea, I think I would very much like to go home, watch movies, and set things on fire until we fall asleep. What do you think?”

Lea chuckled and readjusted Ven, passed out, at his side. “We talkin old Rox or new Rox?” 

Aqua exchanged a glance with Ven, who feigned confusion as he giggled drunkenly.

“Old Rox. You know where to find him?” 

“Always,” Lea assured, seeming content with their exchange. “Now go on, do your thing!”

Sora stepped into the portal and out into a winter landscape that far outshone Disney Castle. Snow as far as the eye could see under a full moon. Sparking white and flat and untouched land beyond them. Sora could see the stars every once in a while as the clouds meandered by. It was beautiful. 

“The monster should be north of here,” Riku said from his left, taking long strides forward. “Try to keep up.”

Well, that wasn’t said with any animosity. Maybe Riku wasn’t angry anymore? Sora ambled to get his footing, stepping into Riku’s bigger footprints to minimize the effort it took. It was three minutes of silence into their trek that it hit Sora again, he was with Riku. 

Riku was here. They were alone for the first time in months and Sora had to tell him about the switch. “Did you enjoy tonight? Before this?” he asked instead. Riku’s rage was testy. Buttering him up might do good.

Riku glanced back at him for a second before angling forward again. “It went as well as expected.”

“How so?”

A brief silence. “Everything went smoothly. That’s all that matters.”

“Yeah,” Sora scoffed, fiddling with the strings of his coat. “But did you have fun? Oomph!” Sora said, accidentally slamming into Riku’s back. “Rikuuuuu,” Sora whined on impulse and decades of reflex. 

Riku twirled on him, staring intently at his eyes. It went on for a beat or two before Sora realized what was happening. Suspicion. 

“What’s the matter with you?” Sora asked as uncaringly as he could. “Get walking. I was talking cause I was bored.” He ambled in the same direction that Riku was, taking the head of the line. It was better that way. Riku could distract him less.

Riku said nothing for a while. The temperature dropped more and more. His sleeves were like blocks of chilled fabric. “Hey, how much farther is this thing?” Sora asked, teeth chattering. 

“Not much longer,” Riku commented. “What do you think of the demonstrations. Or Chrom?”

“What?” Sora asked, fighting the initial jealousy that flowed through him. “Who?”

“My student,” Riku said, tone unreadable. “Chrom. The one I fought. Also duel wields like you. You were there. I saw.”

How in the hell had Riku spotted him in that environment? Even being in the front...  “He’s pretty good,” Sora responded honestly. “What made you take him on?”

“He’s honest, hardworking, and a prince, believe it or not.” 

Sora slipped, cursing briefly and training his attention on the snow in front of him. Don’t get mad, don’t show emotion. “That’s cool. Works for your aesthetic, right?”

“My aesthetic?” Riku asked in that way that meant his nose was wrinkled up really cute. “What’s that mean?”

“You have a thing for the knight and royalty dynamic right?” Sora asked lightly, heartbeat pounding in his chest. Why was it so cold here? “Sora told me,” he clarified, worried that Riku would find that knowledge suspect. 

“Seems like Sora tells you a lot,” Riku retorted unhappily, the statement loaded with meaning Sora couldn’t unpack.

“He’d tell you too, if you ever talked.”

Silence.

Was that too much?

“You are very eager to blame everything on me,” Riku said suddenly, and Sora was hyperaware of his presence behind him. “What if I told you Sora was the reason why we aren’t talking?”

Sora whirled around at the idea, making direct eye contact. “Okay, how? He tries to contact you all the time.”

“He tries to contact me when he  _ has _ time,” Riku mended, moving forward to take the lead again. “And he doesn’t have much of it anymore. Not for me.”

Sora’s shoulders slumped forward at the words. They were softly spoken, and though not terribly emotional, Sora knew it was steeped in hurt. A language others couldn’t hear. “But the link...” he brought up again.

“It sucked to feel him and not be able to have him,” Riku confessed, pace slowing as they approached a snow covered mountain with trees densely packed. “I can’t handle the distance of our bodies and the closeness of the link at the same time. It’s like having phantom pains. Something I should be able to touch but can’t.”

Sora wanted to respond to that, but followed Riku diligently into the forest, marveling at the level of misunderstanding he’d had. All this time, Riku had been heartsick? As much, if not more than, Sora had been? The link was hurting him?

“Why didn’t you tell me - us - any of that?” Sora asked, vision misting over slightly. He couldn’t cry like this. Not as Roxas. He dug out his gummiphone with numb fingers to check the time. Fifteen minutes. Then the spell would wear off. Less time than he thought he had. 

“Because I don’t think he loves me enough, not anymore.”

Sora paused at the sad words, breath stuttering at how ludicrous the idea was. How in the worlds could Riku think that? Because Sora had forced a smile when he was aching for Riku inside? “Riku,” he began. “I have to tell you something. I’m not -” 

“Watch out!” Riku said suddenly, casting a flurry of firagas at a massive object coming their way. 

Sora gasped, dodge olling and summoning Crystal Snow automatically. This wasn’t a monster Sora had encountered before, long limbs and strange, looping horns atop his head like a stag. Riku was apparently familiar with it, attacking only at the glowing points on the horns. It was Weak to aerial attacks, if Riku’s combos were anything to go by. Sora struggled to only use attacks Roxas had used in the past, getting by with some small glides here and there when the monster obscured Riku’s vision of him. He didn’t want Riku to figure it out before he told him. That’d ruin everything more than Sora already had.

And then the monster caught them off guard. 

A flurry of blizzaga hit both him and Riku directly, downing them far away from one another. Sora groaned and cast a curaga, narrowly escaping a pulsing red laser not one second later. He bust into a combo immediately, concerned now with surviving. He managed to blindside it before Riku dropped in with a sonic slash, defeating it instantly. 

They huffed for breath. 

“Wow, that was something,” Sora said, looking up at the sky. When he looked over to Riku, he noted that Braveheart was still poised, against him. “Riku?”

“You’ve been acting weird tonight,” Riku accused, edging closer. Sora got back to his feet and took a step back. “I noticed it, Ven noticed it, Aqua noticed it. Maybe not Lea. Maybe so. I don’t know, don’t care.” 

Sora gulped as Riku came closer, nervously drawing Crystal Snow again. “What are you saying?   
  


“Roxas doesn’t say the things you say. He doesn’t wield that keyblade. He uses two. You’ve been pretending to be Roxas,” Riku declared, bringing his weapon up swiftly. 

Sora managed to block the attack and pivoted, knocking Braveheart and Crystal Snow out of their hands. “Riku! I’m not Roxas!” he said pleadingly. “Just listen-” And then he was slammed against the tree behind him, bark digging unmercifully against his back. A weight against his throat.

“Who are you,” Riku whispered menacingly, hand tight around Sora’s neck. “And what have you done with Roxas?”

Sora fought for breath, sirens blaring in every corner of his brain. “I’m Sora,” he managed to get out, expecting Riku to release him immediately. That didn’t happen.

Riku scoffed. “Are you? Whoever you are, you seem to know a lot about my friends. Shapeshifters can’t trick me anymore.”

He should’ve come clean when he had the chance. Now every word he said was pitted against him. Tainted. Riku had no idea it was Sora under Roxas’s skin. 

“Tell me who you are. What do you want with me?” Riku demanded, his fingers warm against Sora’s throat.

Their connection was too muted, and Riku’s eyes were alight with fire and destruction and darkness. Things Sora hadn’t had trained on him in years. It was exhilarating to be the center of his attention. He couldn’t breathe. Riku was so beautiful when he was angry. Sora was lightheaded. Damn.

The only thing he could do is fight back. 

Just until the spell wore off. Couldn’t be much longer. 

Sora kicked upward, displacing Riku’s hands and using the opening to strike a palm up toward Riku’s chin. Riku caught it, attempting to twist his arm and pin him. But Sora knew that trick, Riku’d had it since they were 12. Sora dove to the side, attempting to get out of the cornered position. Riku followed, challenging his speed and casting firaga to lure him out of the open plains. Back into the forest. 

“Riku, listen to me!” Sora cried, dodging again and cursing when Braveheart came careening his way. Crystal Snow was re-summonded just in time to strike Riku’s blade to the side. That had been Riku’s intention, apparently. 

Riku tackled him at his midsection and into the snow. They rolled and wrested viciously. “Riku, please. It’s me!” A glint of his crown chain caught Sora’s attention, he grabbed it and shoved it between their faces. “See?!”

Riku stopped suddenly, backing away in confusion. “How do you have that? It has to be an illusion.” He huffed for breath, scanning the crown pendant and Sora’s face with narrowed eyes.

“It isn’t. I’m Sora. I traded places with Roxas to be with you tonight. It didn’t go as planned.” 

His boyfriend huffed in disbelief. “Uh huh, like he’d do that.” 

“He did!” Sora protested, raising up to sit while Riku stood wearily. “I did! And any second now-” A strange fuzzy feeling, tingling. Dizziness growing and growing. A flash of light that dissipated slowly. When Sora could see again, he was met with Riku’s glowing cerulean eyes staring at him in shock. 

“Do you believe me now?!” Sora yelled petulantly, tired and bruised and 100% done. “I’m assuming it just wore off? Do you remember what Vanitas and Ven did last April?” 

“Curaga,” Riku whispered, still staring at him openly. The spell settled around Sora like a warm blanket, but it did nothing to quell his anger. “I don’t understand…” Riku muttered.

“I just explained!” Sora said impatiently. “I switched with Roxas to -”

“But why would you,” Riku began and, blinking rapidly. “Why didn’t you come as  _ you _ ?”

“I had to show up for the Yule Ball, even if I wanted to be in The Land of Departure with you,” Sora confessed bitterly. “I didn’t tell you about my plan because I didn’t know if you’d want me there. I wanted to see what you were like first.”

“This is insane,” Riku said breathlessly, kneeling down to Sora’s level again. “I can’t believe you’re here. Why, after all these months, are you  _ doing this _ now?”

“Excuse me?” Sora asked, infuriated. “One of us had to do something! Our relationship is dying, Riku.” 

“I know,” Riku agreed, choking at the words. “I know that, I was gonna fix it.”

“When?!” Sora demanded, hot tears escaping his eyes. Riku moved forward to wipe them away, but Sora whacked his hand before he could get close. The expression on Riku’s face would’ve had Sora laughing if he weren’t so sad. “I have suffered without you. Without our link. I did all this to come see you and I find out you took on a new student, who’s gorgeous, by the way, and an ACTUAL PRINCE, unlike me -”

“Whoa, whoa,” Riku interjected with furrowing eyebrows and his palms up. It was the same tone of voice Riku used when Sora was unbearably upset. When he needed soothing. “ _ Calm down _ .”

“No!” Sora rejected. “You had free time and you used it to go hang out with your new boyfriend!” Sora said petulantly, uncaring about this image. He was finally in his own skin. He’d say what he wanted. 

“He’s not my-” 

“I should’ve kicked your face in when I said I would!”

Riku gave a startled laugh at that comment, as if just remembering it happened. “Gaia, I didn’t know that was  _ you _ , Sor. I wouldn’t ever have-” 

“Do you love Chrom?” Sora questioned suddenly, still crying and way beyond their altercation.

“Are you kidding me?” Riku asked softly, his own eyes shining. “Are you actually asking me that question?”

A beat of silence. “Well,” Sora muttered. “You just told me you think I don’t love you enough, so I think I’m allowed to ask.”

Riku swallowed heavily, looking out into the snow flurries beginning to fall. “Aqua offered me a position at Radiant Garden Castle. I know, listen. To get it, I have to mentor someone first. Aqua was very specific about me doing it this way. I’ve been spending all my time training Chrom because the sooner I do, the sooner I get to start my life with you.”

Sora blinked rapidly, a confused coo escaping his mouth. “Why didn’t you  _ tell _ me?”

“I didn’t want you to wait,” Riku defended, distressed that Sora was distressed. “These things are delicate. There are exams. I couldn’t give you a date and I didn’t want you to be disappointed every time I told you ‘not yet’,” Riku said both hurriedly and fondly, running a hand through Sora’s hair. Sora allowed it.

“Idiot,” Riku accused. “I know you’re busy. But I’d never leave you. If anything, you’re doing plenty fine without me over there.” That was a lie and Sora was sick and tired of Riku implying he didn’t care. 

This was the absolute last straw. 

“I love you,” Sora gasped out, beseeching him. “I love you so much and you don’t understand.” He pulled away from Riku’s reach, standing just as Riku decided to do the same.

“Sora,” Riku began tersely, hand outstretched.

“No!” Sora yelled, feet pressed firm in the snow. “You don’t get it!” 

Riku was shocked to quiet, staring at him with wide eyes. The wind was beginning to pick up, the threat of the incoming blizzard spurring Sora to action. 

“I love you desperately. I love you so much that I don’t understand how to live my life without it being about finding you, chasing you, working with you. I love you so much that everything feels meaningless, and my heart is heavy and light at the same time from the memory of your voice. The melody of our song.” He didn’t dare keep eye contact for too long. This needed to be concise. Honest. True. 

“I am yours,” Sora whispered, tears in his eyes. “And I surrender to you.” 

Sora watched the falling snow drop on his shoelaces, white on black. “And I don’t care what you do to me, or don’t do to me, or what you think or what anyone thinks because it’s all true. There is a chasm inside of me only you can get to. A part of me I can’t feel unless you’re there.” Sora palmed his chest as the ache grew tight and strong. His heart called out to Riku. His body. His soul. Everything inside him pleaded for an embrace, for soft words at his ear, for the knowing, loving gaze Sora had seen his whole life. 

“I need you, Riku,” Sora breathed, vision wavering as snow began to fall fast around them. “I’ve tried to be strong on my own. I’ve opened doors you weren’t behind, followed paths that didn’t lead to you. I did it for the good of the universe, for order and peace and progress. To have a purpose. But when I go to sleep at night, when everything is dark and quiet and lonely, all I can hear is your voice and all I can feel is the last time you held my hand and all I can see is your eyes. You think I don’t love you enough?” Sora challenged, angry tears streaming down his face. “I think I love you  _ too much _ .” 

The silence was deafening in Sora’s ears. A pulsing coursed through his head and echoed behind his eyes. He felt stuffed to the brim with emotion and had no good outlet for it. Rage over Riku’s disbelief, sorrow over his lack of faith, stress over the entire situation, fatigue, anxiety, fear. It was overwhelming and disabling, too much like the way he’d felt at the Keyblade Graveyard. Like last year in his heart station. Like drowning from the inside out.

Sora flinched when a hand firmly grasped the curve of his waist. He hadn’t noticed Riku approaching. Anger fueled him to jerk away, briefly loosening the contact before Riku held him more tightly with both hands, pulling Sora’s body to his. Sora gasped at the contact, the warmth a relief from the bitter cold. It was the most he’d had of Riku in months. A sliver of contentment numbed the pain as Riku’s cheek rested atop his head. How had he lived without this?

“Shhh,” Riku cooed, as if he were a child.

Sora grit his teeth as inadequacy quickly took the place of his content. Did Riku think he was behaving like a toddler? That he needed to be calmed down? Sora pushed him off with renewed vigor, briefly successful. Sora was able to see Riku’s eyes, concerned and surprised, before they hardened into something fiercely determined. 

“Sora,” Riku tried, voice demanding as he fought to bring Sora closer. 

“No!” Sora retorted, twisting his wrists out of Riku’s grip and taking a few shaky steps back. “Fuck you!”

They froze when he said that, Sora huffing to get his breath back and Riku stone still. He’d never, never said such a thing like that to Riku. The only thing he could remember was telling him he was stupid to his face, back when he was Maleficent’s pawn and believed it to be a good thing. This was unprecedented. Sora wanted to regret just as much as he didn’t. 

“Fine,” Riku said apathetically, sounding far too much like he did back then. 

Sora kept his eyes on the snow below him, waiting for sounds that indicated Riku leaving. Riku might be the only one with a portal, but Sora’s sheer force of will would take him to town, where he could wait for someone to come get him. They weren’t going to salvage this.

It took a fair minute before he heard footsteps, though it was in his direction rather than away. Sora glanced up when he saw Riku’s boots, ready to mouth of again, before his boyfriend kneeled swifty and wrapped an arm around his thighs, deadlifting Sora into a single shoulder carry in one fell swoop. 

Sora gasped as his world turned upside down, surprise turning into indignation. “Put me down!” 

“No,” Riku said simply, trudging through the snow. 

“Riku!” he raged, flailing to hit and actually injure. Sora couldn’t remember a time when he was ever this angry. This was why love was so dangerous. It could bring out the worst in you. “Let me go you prick!” 

Riku grunted from a direct hit to his head, bodily adjusting his grip so Sora’s breath was knocked out of him briefly. “Shut up. We have to get out of this storm.”

Sora looked around them bearily, pausing his attack, and noticed for the first time how much snow was falling. It seemed darker all around them. He couldn’t see more than a few feet ahead, the world a strange, static grey. It was a lot like Arendelle, the first go-around. “How do you know where we’re going?” Sora yelled over the loud winds, still aggressive but willing to put it aside for this. “Town was south and I think you’re taking us west!”

“I am,” Riku replied, tone unreadable. 

“What?” Sora yelled, kicking around in protest. “Idiot! We need to go back to town.”

Riku chuckled darkly, the sound reverberating pleasantly down Sora’s spine. Sora ignored the feeling of attraction he felt for that sound and considered what it meant instead. Good. Let him be unhappy. 

“I’m not taking you to town,” Riku said simply.

“Well, I’m not going anywhere else,” Sora bit out, managing to slide down a bit before Riku readjusted again. It turns out that was Riku’s plan. Sora’s boots hit wet wood, and he spun around to see a dark, small cabin door not one foot away. “I’m not going in there.” 

“Yes the hell you are.”

“No, I’m not.”

“You’ll go,” Riku said, voice low and eyes piercing. “Where I tell you.” 

Sora breathed in harshly and out even more so, confused by the mix of emotions he felt rushing around him. He was still angry, but it was a different breed of anger. It was thrilling and exciting and scary. When Sora didn’t move, Riku moved in closer, grasping the door handle Sora’s back was against, and twisted it open with ease. 

Sora stood his ground as Riku straightened to his full height, as if their size difference was supposed to intimidate Sora. Fuck that. Sora raised an eyebrow, silently challenging. 

Riku raised a hand and pushed him into the cabin, harder than Sora thought he would. 

Sora grunted at the impact of his back on the cold cabin floor, hearing the door close and lock click a second later. The room was dark and dreary, becoming darker as Riku walked around closed the heavy curtains. Probably not to kill him. A logical part of his brain registered how ridiculous that seemed while the other ignored it.

He stayed in his casual lean back and watched Riku cast fira onto the logs of a fireplace. It caught immediately, bathing them in a warm, orange red glow. Sora shivered. He was beginning to remember what heat felt like. “What now?” Sora asked sarcastically. “You gonna kill me here?” 

Riku didn’t respond or glance in his direction, rising instead to grab a few glass containers from the corner. Candles. They flickered slowly as the wicks caught flame. Riku rose, taking them two at a time to different areas of the room. Sora followed the movements with cautious eyes, pulling his legs in and out again as Riku crossed the space to a small wooden kitchen, and peeked into another room before placing a few lights there.

Sora could vaguely make out a porcelain sink. He silently thanked the spirits for it. No one wanted to go to the bathroom in a blizzard. Riku returned and cast a thoughtful look to another small door next to the kitchen, moving to investigate it. Blankets, tons of them. Heavy. And pillows, too. Riku dragged it all, kicking the tails of fabric to shuffle them over in front of the fireplace. 

He left it all in a lump before turning to face Sora for the first time. 

Sora swallowed, his boyfriend was a formidable picture in front of the flames. Riku looked bigger, more menacing, stronger from his spot on the floor. Sora was angry, right? It was fading too swiftly. He wouldn’t let Riku have that. Sora leaned back on his elbows in mock laziness, shivering slightly from the way his jacket had slid down his left shoulder, leaving it bare. 

Riku stared at him.

Sora glared. 

It was tense in a way Sora hadn’t ever felt before, not in his entire life. His heart pounded the same way it did when Riku had come into his heart station, the same way it did when he was surprised into a battle. Adrenaline. Addictive. 

Riku took a casual step forward, and then another, until he was in front of Sora. Sora continued glaring, making sure to stare straight into the other boy’s eyes. Sora could be intimidating too, if he wanted. Riku kneeled down and pulled one of Sora’s arms forward. Before Sora could register it, he was hoisted, again, onto Riku’s shoulder and thrown wildly onto the dense bundle of blankets. 

Sora gasped at the impact, crown necklace thunking back down onto his chest and jacket mostly under him. His arms were slightly tangled in the sleeves below, but he could feel the heat of the fire on his bare neck and, slightly less, on his clothed back. Movement captured his attention as Riku bent down slowly, so slowly that Sora was captivated by the way the light played against his adam’s apple and jawline. And then Riku was coming closer, crawling over him, Sora dropped from his elbows to accommodate, confused by the turn of events. 

Three inches away from his face, Riku hovered, staring at him intently. Sora furrowed his eyebrows, irritation flooding back as he rallied himself to begin arguing with his boyfriend again. He frowned harder, watching as Riku’s attention trailed from his eyes to the downturn of his lips. 

Gaia, what the hell was this? What was happening? Sora felt vulnerable and vicious at the same time. “Cat got your tongue?” Sora asked wickedly, enjoying the way Riku’s eyes narrowed at the taunt. 

/// 

“Brat,” Riku whispered harshly, descending to push them into a heady, desperate kiss. One of Riku’s hands slid around the back of Sora’s neck and gripped it tightly, holding the smaller boy in position as they tasted one another. 

Sora moaned at the contact, and again when Riku’s fingers tightened briefly, not enough to bruise but enough to retain his attention around the smallness of his neck in Riku’s grasp. Like their fight earlier. The way it should have gone.

He was angry right? Was this anger? Did you kiss when you were angry? They separated briefly, a trail of saliva leading from him to Riku. Sora huffed, feeling his lips tingle from the force of it. Riku was staring at him, significantly less distressed. Sora didn’t like that. They weren’t done. “Narcissist,” Sora accused, enjoying the way Riku’s eyes widened in surprise and his head tilted disbelievingly. 

“Excuse me?” he asked incredulously.

“You’re a narcissist,” Sora repeated, emboldened. “You think everything’s about you. Surprise, Riku, other people exist and we don’t always think of you when-” 

Riku crushed their mouths together again. Sora moaned, the force delicious and the tension exhilarating. Riku’s tongue swiped against his lip warningly before it dove into his mouth. Sora gasped from the onslaught. Riku’s thumb behind his neck lengthened, encouraging his head to tilt back. Their kiss ended in a searing press and a nip to Sora’s bottom lip. Riku trailed his lips down to Sora’s chin and below it, forcing his chin to move further back and bare his neck to him. 

Sora could see the fire from here, upside down. He whined as Riku’s teeth sank slightly into the soft skin of his nape and trailed down. He was losing momentum. He was losing leverage. Riku knew this was a good way to shut him up and soothe his qualms. Unacceptable. Sora moaned one more time, cutting it in half to gasp out his next insult. “Is this your way of saying I was right?” 

Riku paused. Slamming a hand on the blanket next to them in fury. “Sora, are you kidding-” 

“Exactly something a smug, arrogant -”

“Sora,” Riku warned, grip tightening around his neck. This time enough to bruise.

“Bastard who can’t take a hint-”

Another passionate, crushing kiss, Sora felt himself get caught in it, viscous and warm and wet and intoxicating. They’d never kissed like this before. It’d never been like this before. He wanted it to keep going. How could he do that? Riku’s storm began to calm again, both of them huffing for breath as he pulled back slowly. Sora calculated.

“Do all Keyblade Masters pull this when they’re full of shit?” he asked, body preemptively igniting in anticipation for the next kiss, to be the object of Riku’s full fury. 

But it didn’t come. He looked between Sora’s eyes, searching. He had an idea. “Sora,” Riku began, tone disappointedly absent of that tension and power. “Are you purposely baiting me?”

Sora took a few breaths, processing the question and failing to line up his thoughts right. The grip around his neck weakened and he whined, disliking the lack of contact. Why did they have to talk all the time? 

“Sora,” Riku demanded, which was a little better but not by much. “Answer the question.”

“Kiss me,” Sora demanded back, reaching a hand up to grab Riku’s shirt and pull him down. Riku resisted the pull, staring at him.

“Sora, I’m serious.”

Sora groaned in frustration. “Why do we have to talk all the time?” he complained, head tilting back to hit the blankets. It was starting to feel like he wouldn’t get that aggressive Riku back. Very disappointing. 

“Because that’s what people do in committed, loving, healthy relationships,” Riku said, dosing the rest of the fire in Sora’s belly fast. “I thought you wanted that.” 

Sora frowned, giving into the present moment. The fire was gone, apparently. But at least he had the last five minutes to think about when he was alone at the castle, waiting for Riku’s touch. Sora pursed his lips in embarrassment. Now that the feeling was relatively weak, he couldn’t really explain what had happened without losing face. “I forgot the question.”

Riku cradled his cheek with a hand, thumb brushing softly at his skin. Sora closed his eyes slowly, eyelashes catching at the edge of Riku’s finger. It was nice to feel this again, too. There was no one like Riku. Why did he throw that tantrum and like it? 

“Were you trying to bait me?” Riku asked again.

Embarrassing. This was the worst. “I think so.”

“Why?” Riku questioned, voice devastated. Sora’s heart ached at the sound. “Are you trying to push me away? You just told me you love me, that you _ surrender _ to me and now you’re doing this? I don’t understand. You’ve fought me every step of the way.” 

Sora covered his face with his hands and tried to get his head in working order. It was mortifying what he’d just done, now that he was thinking it all through. “I wasn’t trying to push you away,” he murmured through his hands. 

Riku pried his hands away from his face, looking at Sora’s pink cheeks and shy expression and uncertain blue, blue eyes. Riku brightened. “There you are. My Sora. You’ve been on a rampage for a while.” 

Sora flushed at the endearment while his heart burned. There was something about being treated the way he had, and then these words... He moaned softly, pushing himself into the blankets deeper. He was so hard. It was the last thing Riku needed to know.

“What was that for?” Riku asked, having heard the sound of pleasure. He took a guess, staring at his boyfriend with rapt attention.“‘My Sora?’” 

Sora huffed in pleasure over the repeat. Why did that feel so good? Why did the last five minutes feel so good? Why did Riku’s anger feel just as good as his soft words? It didn’t make any sense. “I don’t know why,” Sora whispered, embarrassed and avoiding eye contact. 

Riku adjusted his position on top of him, pushing up so he was more fully straddling the boy below him. Oh god, the contact. 

“Huh,” Riku said, as if something unanticipated had occurred to him. His eyes had an intriguing spark as they surveyed Sora below him, shifting his weight slightly in thought. “That does it for you?”

“What does it for me?” Sora asked, confused, and distracted, because more of Riku was on his lap now and it was driving him crazy. 

“If you weren’t trying to push me away, why were you trying to get me to fight with you?” Riku asked again, angling Sora’s face with his hand so they made eye contact. “Be honest. Remember, you admitted that you were trying to bait me.” 

Sora whimpered at the reminder, regretting that he’d said it. He thought again about the flush of arousal he’d felt, the torrent of passion, an intensity that he and Riku had always had  _ about _ eachother - finding one another, keeping each other safe - but never about  _ being with _ one another. He’d never hungered for Riku so much before, or felt so desired. Maybe that was what they’d needed all this time, some  _ spark _ . “Um,” Sora muttered, unsure how to put it to words. “It was nice?”

“It was nice to get me angry?” Riku asked disbelievingly, a no-nonsense expression on his face. Oh, Sora liked that too. 

“Kinda, yeah?” Sora admitted nervously. 

“You have never found it fun before,” Riku rationalized. “Why would it be nice now?”

Because you’re hot when you’re angry and I like it, Sora wanted to say. But he wouldn’t. He bit his lip, feeling it puffier than before. They’d kissed so hard that his lips were swollen. That shouldn’t have been as satisfying as it was in Sora’s mind. “I don’t know?” 

“I think you do,” Riku said seriously, watching him bite his lips. “And you aren’t telling me. Can you at least tell me why you won’t be honest?”

Sora blushed, feeling too hot in front of the fire. He was still hard and Riku was still in his lap. Sora was terrified that more movement would make his predicament obvious. “Because it’s embarrassing,” he said, averting his gaze to the curtained window. He could just make out flakes crossing from the break in the curtain. Maybe if he focused on something else, he’d calm down enough to escape this interrogation unscathed. 

“Embarrassing?” Riku questioned, stupefied by the word. “How would something being embarrassing-” 

Riku sat further back in thought, pressing completely and undeniably against Sora’s erection. Sora gasped, barely stopping himself from thrusting up. He did wiggle his hips for a half-second, which, unfortunately, further drew attention to the exact problem he was trying to keep under wraps. Riku froze above him. Oh god, there was no way he didn’t feel that. 

Sora whined, distressed and willing the floor to swallow him whole. Maybe if he closed his eyes tight enough everything would just disappear. 

“Sora,” Riku said, tone unreadable. 

Sora did not answer, or move, or open his eyes or breathe. Not until Riku suddenly ground down into him, pressing into Sora more intimately than he ever had before. Sora gasped loudly, eyes opening unconsciously and rising to his elbows in shock, but he didn’t get far. The stupid jacket was still under and around him and Riku had just pressed up against him and he was very, very overwhelmed. 

“Sora,” Riku repeated, tone now laughing and light. A huge departure from how he was a minute ago. “Look at me.”

Sora flushed even harder at the tone, looking up to Riku with awkward, slightly misty eyes. This was the part where Riku told him he was weird and didn’t want to date him anymore, wasn’t it?

But Riku looked teasing, not deprecating. Eyes both intense and searching. He ground down into Sora again, keeping their eye contact. 

Sora moaned, helplessly thrusting up as much as he could. It wasn’t much, given Riku was much heavier than him, but Riku smirked at the action, rewarding him with another grind down. Watching Riku’s hips move was tantalizing. God. Sora whimpered, struggling against his jacket. He was too tangled to reach up and touch. 

“So-ra,” Riku said, drawing the syllables out in a whisper, moving closer to his face. Another motion down, Sora rode the starbursts that came from it distractedly. 

“Mmh?” he asked, head tilting back from a particularly good angle. He moaned. Riku’s breath hitched at the noise.

“Why did you bait me?” he asked softly, sensually,  _ intensely _ into Sora’s ear, licking the shell of it slowly. Sora’s heart stuttered from the combination of Riku’s voice, tongue, and grinds. “Uh,” he stuttered. “I-” he tried, thrusting up to meet Riku. 

“You?” Riku asked, biting at the soft skin between his ear and neck. 

“I like it when you’re angry,” Sora said, feeling the words leave the station without them having been checked first. The grinding stopped abruptly and Sora whined, hoisting a leg over Riku’s hip to try to leverage him down. 

Riku pulled back from his ear to gaze at his face instead, not close enough to kiss but not far enough for Sora to move himself away. Riku broke out into a smug, over-confident, devastating smirk that Sora used to see when Riku won something many, many times in a row. Did Sora just lose something? He let his head fall back into the blankets and swallowed nervously, looking at Riku’s face in confusion.

The brevity of his admission hit him. What did that mean? Why wasn’t Riku angry about him liking anger? It didn’t make any sense. 

“Nevermind,” Riku said, voice proud and arrogant, revising an opinion that he hadn’t shared in the first place. “This is what does it for you.” 

“What does what?” Sora asked, infinitely confused and still breathless from their activities. 

Riku ran a hand through Sora’s hair soothingly, chuckling at the hum of pleasure it created. “Why do you like it when I’m mad?”

“I’m not answering that question,” Sora said grumpily.

“Why not?”

“Because you are, for some reason, really satisfied with this turn of events and I can’t figure out why,” Sora admitted, pouting slightly as he regained his breath. 

Riku rolled his eyes. “If you answer the question, I can help you figure it out, Sor.”

The nickname settled his hackles, and he glanced at Riku uncertainty. “You won’t laugh?”

“I won’t laugh.”

“You won’t say I’m weird?”

“I won’t say you’re weird.”

“You won’t tell anyone else?”

Riku chuckled as if he knew something Sora didn’t. “I  _ definitely _ won’t tell anyone else.”

Sora hesitated, biting his swollen lip in worry. Riku saw it and brought up his thumb to gently separate teeth from flesh. “Don’t do that. It’s already been abused.” 

Sora felt a wave of satisfaction from the comment and swallowed, throwing his head back to will the feeling away. When he looked back to Riku a few seconds later, the silver haired boy was staring at him with that same, infuriating, cocky expression. 

“Really?” Riku asked, like the reaction was pleasantly surprising to him. 

“Really what?” 

“Nothing,” Riku revised, licking his lips and staring at Sora expectantly. “Well, why do you like it when I’m mad?”

Sora gulped. “I didn’t used to?”

“That’s not a real answer.”

“I don’t know,” Sora groaned, taking strength from the fact that they were in an abandoned cabin in the middle of a snowstorm and it was his word against Riku’s, if this ever came back to haunt him. “You,” Sora started again, avoiding way-too-interested green eyes. “You’re just very attractive when you are.” God. Did he really just admit that?

“Am I?” Riku asked playfully, as if the admission didn’t surprise him. “Is that all? You like how I look so you wanted to keep me angry?” 

“I,” Sora stuttered, looking from Riku’s hungry, excited expression to the planks of wood to his right in confusion. Why did Riku look like that? “I think you can be very...intense.”

“Intense?” 

“Yeah, and, it’s nice. When it’s on me,” Sora admitted, voice getting higher in embarrassment. “It feels very...strong. And like I’m consumed in it, in you.” He keened quietly when the words left him, hoping it wasn’t too weird to admit. Where had these desires, these thoughts, come from?

“And you want that?” Riku asked tenderly, hand pulling Sora’s hair back lightly to force eye contact. “You want to be consumed by me?”

“Fuck,” Sora whispered, trembling from the look in Riku’s eyes and his words and he was still on his lap and - Sora whimpered in need, wiggling unhappily in the blankets. He looked up to Riku pleadingly. “Riku, please,”

Riku cursed, eyes dark and expression just as intense as before. He dove down, roughly taking Sora’s lips again and kissing deeply. Sora moaned in content, thrusting up to meet Riku’s hips, happy that the other boy was still hard. A good sign. Riku growled at the contact, trailing his hand from Sora’s hair down his cheek, his neck, down across his chest that arched up with the touch, and stopping at the inch of bare skin between Sora’s shirt and pants. Riku caressed that spot lovingly before slipping his fingers under the fabric and trailing back up, palm firm and warm and extremely confident against his chest. “Ah!” Sora moaned as Riku’s hand stopped above his heart, feeling the erratic, fast beats translated onto his own flesh. 

“You want me,” Riku accused, pleased and content with his own words and Sora’s reaction. “You want me to call you mine. Mark you. Take you. Don’t you?”

“Riku,” Sora stuttered out, mouth dry and body practically vibrating from the stimulation. Was he supposed to answer that? He couldn’t possibly. His mind could barely keep track of all the places they were connected together. 

“It’s okay baby, I understand now,” Riku whispered in a voice Sora had never, ever heard before. Adoring and rough and - It set him on  _ fire _ . 

“Riku,” he whined, uncaring how he sounded. Anything that could get him more of this, he would do. “Riku, please, please, please.” 

“I know,” Riku said, hand moving back down and unbuttoning Sora’s pants swiftly. Sora squeaked at the motion, the sound of a zipper being pulled down. Riku stared straight into his eyes and slid his hand below, firmly grasping Sora’s hot length with steady, knowing fingers. 

Sora might have screamed a little. The sensation, after everything, was extremely overwhelming. It was like when Riku had come into his heart station and seen his memories, his emotions, his thoughts. Something vulnerable and aching and delicious. 

Riku chuckled at the reaction.

“How are you, oh,” Sora attempted to ask, getting caught up in the slow, languid stroke of Riku’s fingers around his cock. 

“How am I?” Riku asked, encouraging him. A squeeze. Sora cursed. 

“Uh,” Sora said, distracted. “I-” 

“You?” 

“How are you so calm?” Sora managed to get out, fighting against his jacket again. It would be so, so nice if he could wrap his arms around Riku and pull him down for a kiss. Or return the favor. He was extremely curious about what Riku looked and felt like under his pants. “Help, please,” he requested, moving his shoulders to draw attention to the jacket. 

“Oh,” Riku said, strokes stilling. “That’s why you’ve been so compliant.” 

“Wha?” Sora asked, confused. Riku didn’t answer, detracting his hands and moving back enough so Sora could finally sit up straighter and throw the jacket to the side. He stretched his arms overhead happily. When he looked up, Riku was staring at him. Intense like before, but patient. Like a wolf that knew his prey couldn’t escape but let him believe so anyway. Sora took that in, moving to hands and knees briefly before pouncing forward and driving Riku to his back with an oomph. 

Sora grinned triumphantly and situated himself above Riku’s erection, grinding the same way Riku had before. Riku cursed, hands automatically moving to grip Sora’s hips. Sora ground down again and again, finding a good beat. Riku let him have it, moving his hips up in tandem. They worked so well together. Sora shifted a little, causing Riku to shove up directly into his ass. Sora moaned loudly at the contact, shaken by the force of his own reaction. 

Riku seemed to pause for a second too, eyes wide, before repeating the motion once, twice, waiting briefly until each of Sora’s “ah, ah, ah’s” had enough time to leave his mouth. Riku loved that sound. His hands tightened on either side of Sora’s hips, forcing his movements downward harder. Sora gasped, bouncing to the pace and direction Riku set and maintained. 

“Good boy Sora,” Riku said between a thrust, staring up at him adoringly. “Look how pretty you are for me.” 

Sora blushed at the compliment. He did like it when Riku praised him. “You’re pretty,” Sora bit back. 

“No,” Riku mock admonished, rising up to come to a sitting position, Sora still straddled on his lap. “When I say you’re pretty, you say thank you.”

Sora blushed at the next grind, Riku’s face near enough to kiss below him, eyes so close he couldn’t hide anything. “Mm,” Sora moaned, throwing his head back at another grind and loving how Riku’s eyes seem to dilate from it. “Thank you, Riku.”

“Fuck,” Riku bit, grinding into him with fervor. Sora could feel himself building. It wouldn’t be long now until his pleasure spilled over. 

“Riku,” Sora warned, holding on for dear life and grinding down with shaky hips. 

“I know,” Riku said, kissing his forehead. “Let go for me baby. Let me see you.”

Sora flew apart at the words, a huge wave cresting in his body and cascading into a release. He was making a lot of noise. Thank god for the blizzard. Riku ground one last time before clutching him tight and groaning, face buried in Sora’s neck. Sora loved that sound. He wanted to hear it again. The world was warm and bright and wonderful in his boyfriend’s arms. Sora huffed from the wetness of perspiration, Riku’s breath so close to his skin. Stars continued to burst against his eyelids, body vibrating and heavy and satisfied. 

/// 

Sora collapsed bodily into the blankets behind, gaze unfocused and half-lidded. Riku shuffled for a second before slamming down beside him. Sora shifted to take a look at Riku, seeing him on his side and staring with so much love that it made Sora’s heart pang. “Mmm?” Sora asked. 

“You’re beautiful,” Riku said in awe, silver hair an endearing mess.

Sora blushed. “Me? Are you kidding? Have you seen yourself?” 

Riku chuckled, reaching a hand out to trace a mark his teeth had left on Sora’s neck. “I have. And you haunt all my dreams at night. Your smile, your eyes, this ridiculous hair.” Riku scritched Sora’s head, and Sora hummed happily. “Your voice,” Riku continued. “My shining star. My sunlight.” 

“Riku,” Sora whined, still red from their activities but flushing deeper at the words. 

“I thought your best expression was that wide goofy grin, or maybe the way your cheeks turn red when you’re embarrassed,” Riku said, pressing fingers against Sora’s cheeks with a smirk. “I never thought you glaring at me would do me in.”

“What?” Sora breathed. 

“You glaring at me with those beautiful eyes. Upset and ruthless and stunning,” Riku listed reverently. “I had to have you.” 

Sora moaned at the words. “I think,” he began. “I think maybe I felt that way about you. At first I was just angry, but then I started liking how you responded.”

“Picking you up?” Riku guessed with a ravenous gaze. “Bruising your lips?” Riku traced them gently. “Demanding answers?” 

“Ugh,” Sora moaned at the memory. “I don’t know whyyyy,” he trailed in complaint. “I know it’s weird.”

“It’s not weird. It’s actually pretty common,” Riku said lazily, fluffing the blanket below. “I just didn’t think you would be into it.”

“Into what?”

“Being dominated.”

Sora was shocked into silence, blinking at Riku slowly. Was that what that was? He thought back to the things he said, how he hadn’t wanted Riku to leave at any point, but for him to react more. Do things. Daring Riku to surprise him. Baiting him to go further. The intensity. It was like a power play, wasn’t it? He’d fought Riku with the desire for Riku to win. 

“Oh,” Sora said. “And you...didn’t hate it?”

Riku quirked his lips. “I did not enjoy it until I realized what was happening. Up until the blankets, here, I thought I’d have to convince you not to break up with me. I was willing to let you go earlier, but after what you said in the snow? No way in hell I was letting you walk away from me.”

Sora shivered from the words, swallowing shallowly. When he glanced back at Riku, green eyes were evaluating him in knowing interest. 

“Like that?”

“Like what?”

“I wonder if I could make you cum with just my words,” Riku mused, far too casual for the content of the sentence.

Sora sputtered, scandalized. “Riku!” he protested. 

“What?” Riku teased. “I’m going to be watching you now. Starting to get a feel for what things I say  _ get _ to you. You wanna be mine that badly, huh?”

Sora whined, instantly shoving his face into the blankets when the sound escaped him. 

“See?” Riku said lightly. It was muffled from the fabric around Sora’s ears. “Too easy. Do you want a cura for those marks?”

Sora glanced up and saw Riku staring at his lips and throat. “Um, no thank you.”

“No?” 

“It’s not worth the magic,” Sora defended, hoping Riku didn’t know how much he wanted to keep those marks on him for as long as possible.

“Sora, we have like infinite magic,” Riku reasoned, then becoming sly. “Unless you like those on you.”

Busted.

Sora blushed. “Alright, okay you can leave me alone now, you’ve made your point.”

“Have I?”

“Yes!”

“What point is that?”

“That I like it when you show ownership over me! The necklace is proof of that, I guess.”

Silence.

Sora blinked at Riku, who, for the first time the whole night, had a red flush across his cheeks. “Oh?” Sora asked, interested. “Does this street run both ways, Ku’?” 

“Do not,” Riku warned.

“Please, Riku, bite me. I want everyone to see what you do to me.”

“Sora,” Riku said, appalled and flushing further. 

“I’m yours and everyone needs to know it.”

“God,” Riku said, laughing nervously. “You should not be able to turn this on me so fast.” 

“I’ve known you my whole life,” Sora said, crawling closer to him. “I’m used to keeping up with you.” 

Riku’s eyes softened at the words. A tender moment that filled the crazy, adrenaline infused time they’d spent so far. “I love you,” he said. “I can’t believe you thought otherwise,  _ ever _ .”

“If you act like you don’t care, I’m going to think you don’t. Talk to me for real, yeah? Even things that are hard. I need you to be honest,” Sora lectured, taking Riku’s hand and pressing a kiss at the base of his thumb. “I love you too,” Sora sighed. “Merry Christmas.” 

“It’s my favorite holiday now,” Riku said, leaning back and smiling lecherously. Sora gaped at the new expression. He slapped Riku’s shoulder. 

“Don’t associate it with this!” 

“Why not?”

“Because I don’t think Santa would appreciate it.”

“Our anniversary is on Christmas, Sora.”

“So?”

“So if you seriously think I’m not going to have my way with you on our anniversary for  _ the rest of our lives _ , you are sorely mistaken.” 

Sora grimaced. “Damn it. This is not good for Christmas.” 

Riku burst out into laughter, the uncontrollable kind that made his voice higher pitched and nerdy. Sora lit up at the sound, feeling bubbling humor make its way in his chest too. They were warm, in love, and absolutely gross. 

“Riku, can we please, for the love of Santa, take a shower?” Sora said between giggles, stretching out his legs.

“Yeah,” Riku said, a tear of mirth falling from the corner of his eye. “But it’s gonna be cold. I doubt the pipes are heated.” 

“Bath then?” Sora asked, pointing at a large, wooden thing that Riku guessed could be a bathtub. “We can cast fira into the water.” 

“What was that about wasting magic?” Riku asked smugly. 

“Shut up,” Sora retorted. “We’ll see how confident you are when I mark you up.”

The weather outside was dreadful, he’d left Roxas in charge of a very important, very difficult set of tasks (that he could probably handle so whatever), and his relationship with Riku was finally where he wanted it to be, if not better. It’d been a hard year, but a good one. So long as the end result was this. With Riku and him in the quietness of winter. 

❅ *  ‧͙⁺˚*･༓  {.⋅ ✯ ⋅.} ༓･*˚⁺‧͙ *  ❅ 

“You,” Aqua began, looking at Sora in amazement. “That was you last night?”

“Yeah,” Sora said sheepishly, glancing at Riku. “Sorry.”

“Why didn’t you two tell me things have been difficult?” Aqua despaired, crossing her arms. “I want you to be happy. We could have at least altered the schedule so Riku wasn’t on call for so long.”

Riku faltered. “That would’ve been okay?”

“Of course!” Aqua bemoaned. “I’m your teacher but we’re also friends, Riku. I want you to decide how your life looks.”

Sora smiled at Riku’s amazement, taking his hand and squeezing it tightly. “I think we both needed to ask for help more. We’ve learned our lesson.”

Aqua gazed at them fondly and sighed. “You two. Always causing trouble.”

“Hey, not always,” Sora emphasized, grinning widely. “Just whenever life gets boring.”

“You know,” Aqua said with narrowed eyes, “I knew something strange was up with Roxas, _you_ , last night. You smile way too much to be him!”

“Fooled you though, didn’t I?” Sora asked. “Sorry. I was doing what I thought was best. By the way, the gala was amazing! You guys worked super hard to put it together, and everyone looked impressed. I think Master Eraqus would be really proud of you three.”

Aqua giggled nervously, abashed by the praise. “I don’t know about all that.”

“I do!” Sora defended. “I do this stuff for a living, remember? You should celebrate that tonight. Will the same people from last night be here?”

“Yeah,” Riku answered, tugging his hand lightly. “But there won’t be any fighting. Right Aqua?”

Aqua nodded. “And the Yule Ball? Is it continuing tonight?” 

Sora nodded. “I’m happy I’ll be able to go. Yesterday was for all the royals, but tonight, anyone can come.” He scratched his cheek lightly, considering his next words. “People told me to keep it to one event, but I wanted there to be a chance for everyone to spend Christmas together, the villagers, staff, random people passing by... It can be a lonely time of year.”

“That sounds perfect Sora,” Aqua commented, hands resting on Sora’s shoulders. “And very you.”

Sora smiled, glancing over at Riku’s proud expression. He loved making Riku proud. 

“And it would be a lot better if Riku were there with you, right?” Aqua asked before turning her attention to Riku. “Why don’t you join Sora and come back in a couple of days? We can hold down the fort here.”

Riku stuttered in surprise. “Wait, but my classes-”

“Can be covered,” Aqua responded with a laugh. “Just go! Go! Go! You have to leave now if you want to make it to Radiant Garden for preparations. I wish we had a portal scope wide enough to send you there directly. Maybe that’s something to work on in the new year, Sora?”

A portal between Radiant Garden and the Land of Departure would eliminate 90% of their problems instantaneously. How had he not considered that? “Yes!” Sora bellowed, uncaring that the force startled both Riku and Aqua. “We’re doing that! It’s at the top of my list, Yen Sid be damned!” 

“Sora, we gotta go,” Riku said, glancing at his gummi phone. “You got Roxas’s ship?” 

“Duh,” Sora sassed, waving like a maniac at Aqua before running off to the docking station, Riku’s hand in his. 

“Sora, geez! Hold on!” 

“No! I’m gonna blow your mind with the Yule Ball and I refuse to miss any part of it!” 

“Wait!” Ven shouted as the rounded a corner. “I’m coming too! Aqua can I go?!”

“Yes!” Aqua’s voice carried throughout the corridor, making Sora and Ventus’s faces light up.

“Let’s go! We have extra clothes at the castle!” Sora said, leading them to Roxas’s gummiship as if hell was at their heels. He unlocked the cabin and entered, immediately plugging in his dead gummi phone and turning on the controls. “I’m driving.”

“Oh no,” Riku moaned, buckling into the seat on Sora’s right. “Sora, you drive like a maniac.”

“This maniac needs to make sure his job is done,” Sora responded, waiting until Ventus was clicked in to depart. His device was thankfully operational by the time they were ready. “Gummi phone! Call Sora!” The cabin shook as they exited the atmosphere and beeped as it connected to his phone in Radiant Garden. 

“Wait,” Riku blinked. “Did you and Roxas exchange phones too?”

“Of course,” Sora replied, navigating them out of the world’s orbit and in toward Radiant Garden. “My phone has all the contacts Roxas needed. We didn’t have time to do anything else. Why?” When Sora looked over at Riku, he was red. “What happened?”

The call connected, showing a frazzled Roxas in the main lobby of the castle. The gummiship had been recently outfitted with a camera and holoscreen for this very reason. There was a lot of shouting in the background, which was never a good sign. “Sora where have you been?!” Roxas demanded. “King Kristoff and King Aladdin got into a fight and we can’t get them to stop yelling! I need you!” 

“Was it about monkeys and reindeer again?” Sora asked tiredly, dodging a few asteroids and racking his brain for a new solution. “Did you ask them how the animals would do as a team?”

Roxas looked at him like he was insane. “Sora- what? Also, are you coming back? Hi Ven. Riku, I’m surprised you’re alive.”

“You and me both,” Riku said ambivalently. “It was a rough day.” 

“So rough you had to write a sickeningly sweet message to little old Sora?” Roxas taunted. “Sorry, I literally didn’t see it until this morning.” 

“You better not have read it!” Riku threatened. 

“Oh, I read it.”

“Okay,” Sora interrupted, glancing at Ven tiredly. Whatever Riku wrote to him, it was probably very heartfelt. Poor Riku. “Roxas, any other issues?” 

“Uh,” Roxas said with wide eyes looking at someone off screen. “Yeah, but Leon! Leon it’s Sora can you -”

The phone was pried from Roxas’s grip, Leon’s unhappy face taking the center screen as he walked. “Two words,” he said to Sora, not bothering to greet any of them. “Frozen landing.”

“No!” Sora exclaimed as if the very words would scare the problem away. Both Riku and Ven were gesturing toward the left of the ship, for some reason. “That’s not allowed!”

“It happened,” Leon said as Sora realized a particularly strong warp point was drawing them in. Oh that’s what the fuss was about.

They managed a shoddy escape from the pull, Ven reaching for the controls nervously. Sora slapped his hands away. “How did it happen? We just checked everything yesterday.”

“Park at the old landing dock, it’s what we’re doing for now. Are you driving?”

“Yeah.”

“Don’t use your phone and drive.”

“Okay, but this is an -”

“Emergency!” Yuffie shouted, hurting everyone’s ear drums. She popped into the screen and grabbed the phone without preamble. “Sora, they’re saying the caterers are double booked-”

“What?!” Sora screeched. “How? You know what, get me Vanille.”

“But--”

“Find Vanille!” Sora demanded, work persona sharply ejecting the fuzzy, soft version of himself. “Now!”

“Sir yes sir!” Yuffie cried, putting the phone down and yelling Vanille’s name repeatedly. 

“What the hell,” Riku commented from beside him, shell shocked. “This is what you do everyday?”

“Not everyday,” Sora said, using the lull to check the trajectory of their flight path. “On event days, yes. I’m amazed yesterday happened without me there.”

“Sora!” Vanille yelled, coming onto the screen. Her pigtals looked lopsided today. “I’m dealing with the double booking, but I don’t know what account number we’re using for the reservation.”

“My kingdom for my clipboard,” Sora groaned, increasing their speed in hopes of landing faster. “It has all my information but - Kairi. Vanille, I want you to work with Vaan and Aerith and go over the paperwork in my office. There should be a folder for this event with that information on it, but it might be buried. It’ll take a while.”

“Okay,” Vanille said, game face on, “You’re on your way?”

“Yeah,” Sora said. “As fast as I can.”

“Thank the heavens. You said something about Kairi?”

“Yes, please get me her!” 

More yelling of names and a wayward, jostling screen of the castle. Sora let his back slam into his chair and stared out in space, thinking of different solutions to the problems he’d been given. Frozen landing meant the rest of their incoming supplies had to be unloaded far away, which meant it needed to be transported. They needed to hire a moving company that would work on short notice. Sora could get it all sorted if he were just _there_. A hand grasped his, gentle and warm and calming. 

Sora looked up at Riku, feeling his heartbeat slow with every careful brush of the thumb. 

“Sora!” Kairi called, coming into selfie mode. “Tell me you’re coming now.”

“I’m coming now.”

“Thank God! Hi Riku! Hi Ven! Sora this is kind of turning into a nightmare."   
  


“I’ve heard. I need you to find a moving company, ask Cloud. Make sure the stock is loaded and set in the castle within two hours, okay? The staff won’t be able to do anything without it.” 

“Got it!” Kairi said. “The rest of the clipboard is going okay. Just get here!”

“I’m going, I'm going,” Sora defended, accelerating their pace enough that Ven squeaked at the speed. “Let me go I gotta drive.”

“Don’t die!” Kairi called before the call ended. And then Sora drove like a maniac. 

❅ *  ‧͙⁺˚*･༓  {.⋅ ✯ ⋅.} ༓･*˚⁺‧͙ *  ❅

  
  


“You’re kind of a big deal,” Riku said in the safety of Sora’s office, dressed and ready for the second night of the Yule Ball. Sora looked up from his clipboard, finally back in his hands, and took in Riku's baby blue slacks and blazer, button down white shirt, and golden tie. It was amazing what the three good fairies could do on short notice. Sora was damn lucky they were here for the festivities and didn't mind doing favors. 

“No, I’m not,” Sora denied, setting down his pencil and tugging on his dark red overcoat. It’d been Xion’s idea to wear their Christmas Town gear to the ball, though Sora switched out a couple elements to make it look more upscale. Dark red, long pants, less fluff around the collar. 

“You kidding me? Back in the gummi ship you managed the castle through absolute madness, while piloting. We get here and everyone needs to talk to you for something. Everyone is relieved to see you,” Riku explained, emphasizing the words as Sora approached him. “That’s a big deal. You're trusted. Your opinion is _the_ opinion. You from a year ago would be awestruck. I am." 

Sora licked his lips and placed a hand on Riku’s chest, feeling his palm warm to the contact. “Maybe.”

“I get it,” Riku said, apologetic. “I get it now. Why this was - is - so hard for you. It's a lot of responsibility and I wasn't very accomodating. I’m sorry for not understanding.” 

“I’m sorry for not prioritizing it,” Sora said, smoothing Riku’s shirt up and down with his hand. “Our relationship. We’ve been through so much, I didn’t want to believe that something so normal like jobs could tear us apart.”

“Well, no more,” Riku said, tilting Sora’s head up. “I’m with you.”

“I’m with you,” Sora repeated, relishing in the proximity. “And I read what you wrote to me yesterday, when you thought I was Roxas.” Sora smirked at the pink that rose on Riku’s cheeks. 

“Did you?”

“Yeah,” Sora said slyly. “I can’t believe you would have texted me all that even if I didn’t go.”

“Well, it was you saying I’d lose you that spurred me to write it all,” Riku retorted, wrapping an arm around Sora’s waist. “So it was a very good thing that you did.”

“I want you too,” Sora whispered, referring to Riku’s text. “For Christmas. At least now Santa won’t have to kidnap either of us.”

“I want the link back,” Riku said suddenly, touching their foreheads together. “Can I have that too?”

“Are you sure?” Sora asked. “We’ll still have to be long distance -”

“I know. It’ll suck, but if I can have more of you somehow, like Aqua said, that’ll help.”

Sora laughed nervously. “Well, if you say so. When, tonight?”

“Now,” Riku demanded, hugging them closer together. “Now, now, now.”

Sora’s body vibrated with affection, excited by Riku’s impatience. “Okay. Now. And then we go downstairs and have fun?” 

“If we make it downstairs,” Riku commented wryly. Sora hit him. 

“Just concentrate, dummy,” Sora said, closing his eyes and exhaling a wave of giddiness. Connected to Riku again. The link. He could hardly wait to feel it again. Sora honed in to that part of himself, the space behind his heart like a secret door. He could sense Riku doing the same in front of him, energy approaching swiftly and surely. 

Sora gasped when he felt them attached, a wave of emotions that weren’t his own flooding his body and mind. Pride, affection, regret. Riku’s hand curled further into Sora’s side, unable to tighten their embrace anymore. “I think that’s it,” Sora breathed, getting used to the chasm finally being filled again. With Riku. His most important person.

Riku pulled away to gaze into his eyes. “I love you and I'm sorry for almost killing you yesterday.”

“I love you too,” Sora breathed, bringing them into a kiss that, admittedly, made him not want to go downstairs anymore. “But I'm not sorry for trying to kill you back, you over-suspicous idiot." 

"Hey!" Riku protested, poking Sora's side for the comment. Sora pushed him off before it could decend into a tickle war. 

"We gotta go,” he said as Riku tried to pull him in for another kiss. 

Riku complained but complied. “Alright. It looks like there’s a lot of people there already, anyway.”

"Really?” Sora asked, shaking off his nerves. “Like who?”

“I saw Ventus drinking eggnog,” Riku said, giving him a look. “You need to take it away when we get downstairs.

Sora groaned. Maybe Ventus was the problem child. 

The moment they entered the beautifully decorated lobby, they were surrounded by friends old and new. It took Sora a fair bit of verbal play to figure out who Roxas had and had not talked to, which became far easier when the boy himself joined Riku and Sora. They danced, they ate, they talked a lot. Kairi had a little too much to drink, but Xion and Namine were even worse. Sora made sure the staff kept an eye on them. Elsa begrudgingly told Rapunzel that the icicles were quite beautiful and realistic. Yuffie got Leon to make a Christmas ornament, which he promptly used to throw at Cloud's head. They'd gotten into some disagreement earlier and were now 'at war', as Aerith put it. 

King Mickey and Minnie were ecstatic to see Riku for the first time in months and Roxas was glad that Lea had known where to find him. King Aladdin and King Kristoff were seen embracing one another in apology near the crab puffs. Sora and Riku found many opportunities to sneak away for kisses. Sora was in love with him. Sora loved his job. He loved his friends. Ven had to lay down due to eggnog posioning, which made Xion collapse with laughter (still tipsy). After a few hours, Roxas and Lea disappeared into the night, muttering something about video games and setting things on fire. 

The event wasn’t perfect, but it was done. His relationship with Riku wasn’t perfect, but it was  _ theirs _ . They’d figure it out. One foot in front of the other, straight out into the dawn. 

Into the new year, a new life, and a home together. 

  
  


**Author's Note:**

> Fun fact, the smut was written first. =D 
> 
> Also "It isn't perfect but it's done" is exactly how I feel about this fic. Thank god for that. 
> 
> Please drop a comment if I managed to make you smile (even once!). It fuels the monster in me to create soriku content. I have a 60k fic (unrelated to this series) that's mostly ready to go. You'll most likely see it up mid January! 
> 
> Love you paopu fam. <3  
> -RMB


End file.
